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He paid no attention to anyone else 


Twilight ^ Animal Series 


BUMPER 

THE WHITE RABBIT 
AND HIS FRIENDS 


By 

GEORGE ETHELBERT WALSH 

Author ej “ Bumper the White Rabbit” “Bumper the White Rabbit ia the 
Woods** “ Bumper the White Rabbit and His Foes” “ Bumper the 
White Rabbit and His Friends ** “Bobby Gray Squirrel™ 

“Bobby Gray Squirrels Adventures ” Etc . 


Colored Illustrations by 

EDWIN JOHN PRITTIE 


THE JOHN C. WINSTON COMPANY 
CHICAGO PHILADELPHIA TORONTO 


TWILIGHT ANIMAL SERIES 
FOR BOYS AND GIRLS 



FROM 4 TO 10 YEARS OF AGE 


By 

GEORGE ETHELBERT WALSH 


no 3 


LIST OF TITLES 


1 BUMPER THE WHITE RABBIT 

2 BUMPER THE WHITE RABBIT IN THE WOODS 

3 BUMPER THE WHITE RABBIT AND HIS FOES 

4 BUMPER THE WHITE RABBIT AND HIS FRIENDS 

5 BOBBY GRAY SQUIRREL 

6 BOBBY GRAY SQUIRREL’S ADVENTURES 

7 BUSTER THE BIG BROWN BEAR 

8 BUSTER THE BIG BROWN BEAR’S ADVENTURES 

9 WHITE TAIL THE DEER 

10 WHITE TAIL THE DEER’S ADVENTURES 

11 WASHER, THE RACCOON 

(Other titles in preparation) 

Issued in uniform style with this volume 
PRICE 65 CENTS EACH, Postpaid 

EACH VOLUME CONTAINS COLORED ILLUSTRATIONS 




Copyright 1922 by 

THE JOHN C. WINSTON COMPANY 


Copyright MCMXVII by George E. Walsh 


ftp 19 '23 


©Cl A 711959 


INTRODUCTION TO THE 
TWILIGHT ANIMAL STORIES 
By the Author 

All little boys and girls who love animals 
should become acquainted with Bumper the 
white rabbit, with Bobby Gray Squirrel, 
with Buster the bear, and with White Tail 
the deer, for they are all a jolly lot, brave and 
fearless in danger, and so lovable that you 
won’t lay down any one of the books without 
saying wistfully, “I almost wish I had them 
really and truly as friends and not just story- 
book acquaintances.” That, of course, is a 
splendid wish ; but none of us could afford to 
have a big menagerie of wild animals, and 
that’s just what you would have to do if you 
went outside of the books. Bumper had many 
friends, such as Mr. Blind Rabbit, Fuzzy Wuzz 
and Goggle Eyes, his country cousins; and 
Bobby Gray Squirrel had his near cousins. 
Stripe the chipmunk and Webb the flying 
squirrel; while Buster and White Tail were 
favored with an endless number of friends and 
relatives. If we turned them all loose from the 
books, and put them in a ten-acre lot — but 


INTRODUCTION 


no, ten acres wouldn’t be big enough to 
accommodate them, perhaps not a hundred 
acres. 

So we will leave them just where they are 
— in the books — and read about them, and 
let our imaginations take us to them where we 
can see them playing, skipping, singing, and 
sometimes fighting, and if we read very care- 
fully, and think as we go along, we may come 
to know them even better than if we went out 
hunting for them. 

Another thing we should remember. By 
leaving them in the books, hundreds and 
thousands of other boys and girls can enjoy 
them, too, sharing with us the pleasures of 
the imagination, which after all is one of the 
greatest things in the world. In gathering 
them together in a real menagerie, we would be 
selfish both to Bumper, Bobby, Buster, White 
Tail and their friends as well as to thousands 
of other little readers who could not share 
them with us. So these books of Twilight 
Animal Stories are dedicated to all little boys 
and girls who love wild animals. All others 
are forbidden to read them! They wouldn’t 
understand them if they did. 

So come out into the woods with me, and 
let us listen and watch, and I promise you it 
will be worth while. 


BUMPER THE WHITE RABBIT 
AND HIS FRIENDS 

STORY I 

Bumper and Sleepy the Opossum 

Bumper, after working hard to trick his 
enemies so they would be more afraid of the 
rabbits in the woods, had decided the ways of 
peace were better than those of war. Not that 
he was going to permit Sneaky the Wolf or 
Loup the Lynx to pounce upon his people and 
eat them up without fighting, but instead of 
going around with a chip on his shoulder, ex- 
pecting and looking for trouble, he intended 
to make friends of all the animals and birds, 
and be helpful to them. 

It is wonderful how much good to others we 
can overlook if we go about with our eyes 
shut. There is plenty to do if we look for it. 
So Bumper found in a short time that he had 
missed a good deal in always looking for the 
worst in others instead of for the best. 

Only a few days after his change of plans, 
which was told of in a former book, Bumper 
stumbled upon Sleepy the Opossum in a tree, 
with his eyes closed in slumber. At first he 


9 


10 


Bumper Seeks Peace 

was going to pass him without a word of greet- 
ing, for Sleepy had more than once angered 
him by his sharp tongue. Then he thought 
better of it. 

“Hello, Sleepy!” he called good-naturedly. 

“Hello yourself!” was the sullen retort. 
“What do you want to wake me up for! Go 
on about your business, and let me sleep !” 

Bumper was a little nettled at this sharp re- 
tort, and was going to answer back in a huff; 
but he didn’t. He remembered his new reso- 
lution. 

“If I were you, Sleepy,” he said instead, “I 
wouldn’t sleep outdoors in plain sight like 
that You know Loup the Lynx is hunting in 
these woods now.” 

Sleepy opened both eyes an instant, and then 
closed them again. “You can’t scare me,” he 
drawled. “I’ve heard how you’ve been stir- 
ring up trouble in the woods. Now don’t 
come around here with any of your tales.” 

Bumper was more nettled than ever at this 
reply, but still he controlled himself. “You’d 
better listen to me, Sleepy,” he said. “It’s 
true that Loup the Lynx is hunting in these 
woods, and if he passed here he could see you 
easily. Why not find a good hiding place if 
you must sleep outdoors?” 


Bumper and Sleepy the Opossum 11 

“Because I prefer this warm place in the 
sun. Now go on and leave me alone.” 

And Bumper hopped along, feeling that his 
oiler of kindness was not wanted. He hopped 
for some distance until suddenly he heard a 
noise in the tree overhead. He stopped and 
glanced up. 

There was Loup the Lynx crouched in the 
tree, looking for some small animal he could 
pounce upon. Bumper was concealed from 
view by the bushes, and unless Loup saw him 
he was safe. It would be an easy matter to 
hide there until Loup passed on. 

But as he crouched he thought of Sleepy a 
short distance away. If Loup hunted in his 
direction he would surely see him, and that 
would be the last of Sleepy. Now the desire 
to hide, and save his own skin, made him 
crouch still lower in the bushes. 

“It’s none of my affair,” he said to himself. 
“I warned Sleepy, and he wouldn’t listen to 
me. I don’t need to do anything more.” 

Of course, Bumper was right in a way, and 
he couldn’t be blamed for thinking of his own 
skin first; but all the time his conscience kept 
troubling him. What if Loup should spring 
upon Sleepy and kill him! How would he 
feel! He would never feel that he had done 
all of his duty. 


12 


Bumper Seeks Peace 

“No,” he said finally, “I can’t hide here and 
let Sleepy be caught. I must warn him once 
more.” 

Having made this decision, he crept out of 
his hiding place, and keeping the trees and 
bushes between him and the Loup, he made 
his way slowly back to where Sleepy was sun- 
ning himself. 

“Sleepy,” he called softly when he got under 
the tree. “Sleepy, wake up!” 

Sleepy the Opossum opened his eyes again, 
and seeing who it was calling him they 
snapped with anger. 

“I wish you’d mind your business, 
Bumper!” he said in a loud, disagreeable 
voice. “If you wake me up again I’ll come 
down and bite you. Now get outl” 

“But, Sleepy, you must hide. Loup the 
Lynx is coming. I saw him only a short dis- 
tance away, and he’s coming in this direc- 
tion.” 

“Then why don’t you run and hide? Loup 
is as fond of rabbits as of opossums. If he 
was coming you’d be the first one to run and 
hide. No, you can’t make me believe any 
such story.” 

“But on my word of honor, Sleepy, he’s 
coming,” protested Bumper. 

“Let him come then! Now I’m — ” 


Bumper and Sleepy the Opossum 13 

Sleepy didn’t finish his sentence. There 
was a snap of a twig nearby, and Bumper 
whispered : 

“Run I Run! He’s here! If you wait an- 
other minute you’re lost!” 

Sleepy was suddenly wide awake. He was 
suspicious of that snapping twig. He started 
down the tree for his hole where he would be 
safe. Half way there he caught sight of a 
pair of yellow eyes watching him. Then 
with a scream Loup the Lynx sprang for him, 
covering the distance between the two trees 
in one mighty jump. He landed plump on 
the limb where Sleepy had been sleeping. 

But Bumper’s timely warning had been of 
use. Sleepy was on the next limb, and before 
Loup could spring again the Opossum 
slipped into his hole with a squeak of fear. 
Loup sprang at him with a snarl of rage and 
anger, for he had missed him by merely an 
inch. 

During all this time, Bumper had looked 
around for his own safety. Loup had not 
spied him, and he kept well under the green 
leaves of the bushes. Then just as Loup made 
the final spring for Sleepy, the white rabbit 
slipped under a big log where he could not be 
seen. 

He lay there panting and palpitating with 


14 Bumper Seeks Peace 

fear. Would Loup come sniffing around and 
discover him? Or would he finally leave the 
place to hunt elsewhere? It was a terrible 
moment of uncertainty. 

But luck was with him. Loup, never sus- 
pecting the presence of a rabbit below, finally 
leaped to a higher branch of the tree, and 
looked around. This was his favorite method 
of spying out any helpless animal below. 
Then he jumped to the next tree, and so made 
his way to another part of the woods. 

Bumper waited a long time before he crept 
from his hiding place to renew his trip. When 
he finally did so all was quiet in the woods. 
But just as he hopped away a voice from the 
hole in the tree called to him. 

“You saved my life, Bumper,” Sleepy said, 
peeking his head out. “I’m sorry I spoke so 
crossly to you. Won’t you forgive me?” 

“Certainly, Sleepy,” replied Bumper. “And 
I’m mighty glad Loup wasn’t a minute sooner. 
Good-bye !” 

Hopping away this time, he felt much bet- 
ter than before. He had done a good service 
to Sleepy, and won his friendship for all time. 
Next he had a chance to help Browny the 
Muskrat in a very peculiar way, which will 
be the subject of the following story. 


STORY XX 


Browny the Muskrat 

One day Browny the Muskrat had bur- 
rowed so deep into the ground back of the 
river that his tunnel had caved into the rabbit 
burrow of Roily Polly, and if it had not been 
for the quick work of Roily Polly some of his 
children would have been drowned. The wa- 
ter from the river poured in right after 
Browny and the burrow was quickly flooded. 

Now Roily Polly had never forgiven 
Browny for that accident, the more so because 
Browny had laughed at the plight of the rab- 
bits instead of apologizing. Of course, it was 
an accident, but Browny couldn’t understand 
why rabbits objected to a little water. So far 
as he was concerned, he preferred to swim 
around in underground tunnels filled with 
water than crawling through dry ones. 

So there had always been ill feeling between 
the rabbits and Browny the Muskrat. It was 
one of those little quarrels between friends 
that lasts a long time, and often ends in 
trouble. It was such a senseless quarrel, too! 


15 


16 


Bumper Seeks Peace 

Browny hadn’t intended it, and he should 
have said so. Roily Polly may have suspected 
it was an accident, but as Browny didn’t 
apologize he was angry, and wouldn’t speak to 
any of the Muskrats again. 

Bumper knew of this ancient quarrel, but as 
he had been busy with other things he hadn’t 
paid much attention to it. He had never 
spoken to Browny or any of his people. It 
wasn’t the proper thing to do, you know. 

One day Bumper was eating grass near the 
marshy end of the river, where the big cat- 
tails and rushes grow tall and slender, when 
he saw Browny sitting on a bog watching him. 
He had just emerged from the water, and was 
all wet and dripping. Bumper continued eat- 
ing grass without paying any attention to him. 

“What are you doing here, Bumper?” 
Browny called to him after a while. “This 
isn’t your feeding ground. This marsh be- 
longs to my family.” 

Bumper stopped nibbling and looked at 
Browny in astonishment. “I didn’t know that 
the marsh belonged to any one in particular,” 
he replied. 

“Well, it does, and now you know it,” an- 
swered Browny in an unfriendly voice. “Now 
get out of here!” 

The tone of the voice as much as the com- 


Browny the Muskrat IT 

mand irritated Bumper, and a sharp reply 
sprang to his lips; but he checked it. He 
wasn’t going to offend by angry words. 

“All right, Browny, if you say so, I’ll go,” 
he answered. Then, as an after thought, he 
added very politely: “And I’m sorry if I’ve 
trespassed upon your place. I won’t do it 
again.” 

Browny was so surprised by this apology 
that he sat there a moment in silence and stared 
at the White Rabbit. Never before had a rab- 
bit apologized to him. Indeed, whenever 
words passed between them, they were harsh 
and unfriendly. Then, instead of accepting 
the apology in a friendly spirit, he laughed, 
and said : 

“Oh! Ho! You’re getting very polite all of 
a sudden, Bumper! Well, you can’t make 
friends with me that way. I don’t take any 
stock in soft words. Actions count with me 
more than polite words. No, I don’t think you 
will do it again. If you do you know what 
will happen to you !” 

Bumper withdrew before the angry retort 
that rose to his lips could escape. He was very 
indignant. Browny was an ungrateful fellow. 
Well, he’d have nothing more to do with him 
or any of his tribe. Some day he might find a 
chance to get even with him. No, that would 


18 


Bumper Seeks Peace 

never do! He had decided to make friends 
and not enemies. He would forget it, but — 

Suddenly he hopped about a foot in the 
air, so quickly that his sentence was never fin- 
ished. What was it in the marshy ground at 
his feet? He had touched something hard 
and cold that jangled when he tripped 
against it. For a moment he stood ready to 
fly, but on second thought he decided he would 
investigate, for the thing, whatever it was, 
hadn’t moved. It still lay coiled up in the 
grass. 

Bumper approached it carefully and smelt 
of it, and then laughed at his fright. It was a 
long chain, which for a moment had seemed 
to him like Killer the Snake coiled up in the 
grass. One end was fastened to a stake, and 
the other — 

Horror of Horrors! It was attached to a 
trap, a steel spring trap, concealed right in 
the mouth of Browny’s hole. Some one had set 
the trap there to catch Browny or one of his 
family. Forgetting all his anger, Bumper ran 
back, and shouted. 

“Browny! Browny!” he cried. “I’ve found 
something!” 

“Well, leave it where it is,” replied Browny, 
stroking his whiskers. “Findings aren’t keep- 
ings around here.” 


Browny the Muskrat 


19 


“But it’s a trap, Browny,” added Bumper. 
“I thought you’d want to know.” 

“Oh, traps don’t bother me. The Hunters 
have been setting them for me as long as I can 
remember. But I’m too shrewd for them. 
They can’t catch me.” 

“But this one is — ” 

“Oh, go on!” Browny interrupted. “I or- 
dered you off my place once. Must I do it 
again?” 

Bumper made no reply. He had done all 
that he could in warning Browny of the dan- 
ger. Now the risk was his. He wouldn’t put 
himself out again to help a Muskrat. 

But once again that little conscience of his 
bothered him. After he had hopped away in 
the woods, he stopped to nibble at some young 
buds. “What if Browny was caught in the 
steel trap?” he asked himself. “It would be 
terrible! He would either starve to death or 
be killed. Oh, I wish he’d listened to me!” 

But he kept right on eating. It wasn’t any 
of his concern. But curiously enough he ate 
toward the marsh, and not away from it, until 
once more he stood on the very edge. He 
seemed surprised at this, but after all he knew 
all the time he was eating toward it. 

He looked around. Browny was no longer 
in sight Perhaps he had gone into the water 


20 


Bumper Seeks Peace 

again. Bumper sat there and listened, with 
his neck stretched up to look over the tall 
grasses. 

Then suddenly a muffled squeaking reached 
his ears. Where did it come from, and who 
was making it? He looked all around him in 
vain, and then he thought of the trap. 

He hopped through the reeds and rushes 
until he came to it. Yes, there was the long 
chain, and the stake, but there was something 
at the other end, for the chain kept twitching 
and pulling. And out of Browny’s hole came 
a faint, muffled cry. 

“Help! Help! Oh, won’t somebody help 
me?” 

“What’s the matter, Browny?” Bumper 
asked. 

“My tail’s caught in the trap, and I can’t get 
out or in. I’m held fast in the hole. Oh, I’ll 
die here if somebody doesn’t help me before 
the Hunters come.” 

“Wait a minute!” shouted Bumper. “I think 
I can get you out.” 

Seizing the chain with his teeth, he threw 
himself back on his haunches, and began pull- 
ing with all his might. It was a mighty tug of 
war, for besides pulling the chain and steel 
trap out of the hole he had to pull Browny, 
too. He pulled and pulled, slipping in the 


Browny the Muskrat 21 

mud, and getting all covered with it until he 
was no longer white. But the chain was com- 
ing, and so was the trap. 

Suddenly it popped out, and right after it 
came Browny. The teeth of the trap had 
caught the tip of his tail. With the last jerk 
this slipped out of the trap, and Browny was 
free. He switched his long tail, and looked at 
it, but as he hadn’t lost any of it he was greatly 
relieved. Then he turned to the rabbit. 

“Bumper,” he said, “that was a fine thing to 
do after the way I insulted you. If you can 
forgive me I’m always going to be your 
friend. You really saved my life, for the 
Hunters will soon be here.” 

“That’s all right, Browny,” was the reply. 
“I want to be your friend.” 

In the next story you will hear of how 
Bumper made friends with Billy the Mink. 




STORY III 


Billy the Mink 

Billy the Mink was a cousin to Gray Back 
the Weasel, but being much larger and more 
ferocious when attacked he was more to be 
feared. In addition to this he could swim like 
a duck and dive like a stone. In fact, he pre- 
ferred the water to the dry land, and was very 
proud of his fur coat. Sometimes he would 
sit on the bank of the river in the sun just to 
admire the beautiful, glossy fur that nature 
had given him. With the sun sparkling on it 
when wet or dry, it certainly was something 
to admire and envy. 

Billy the Mink, unlike his namesake Billy 
the Porcupine, had the bad habit of sometimes 
raiding rabbit burrows for food, and if there 
were young bunnies in the nest he made away 
with some of them in spite of the protests of 
their fond parents. This habit had caused him 
to be feared and hated by the rabbits, which 
was a very natural thing. 

Roaming through the woods one day 
shortly after his adventure with Browny the 


23 


24 


Bumper Seeks Peace 

Muskrat, Bumper discovered Billy the Mink 
sunning himself near his home. He really 
didn’t want anything to do with Billy on ac- 
count of his bad habits, and he was going to 
pass him without a word; but Billy caught 
sight of Bumper, and was suddenly envious 
of the beautiful fur of the white rabbit. 

“I never saw a white rabbit before,” he 
hailed. “Come nearer and let me see your 
beautiful fur.” / 

Bumper wished to be polite and hopped 
closer. 

“It really is white,” Billy added, admiring 
the fur. “I suppose you’re mighty proud of 
it.” 

“I’m very fond of it, and glad I have it,” 
replied Bumper modestly. “Yes,” honestly, 
“I’m proud of it. I don’t think there’s any 
harm in saying that. We have a right to be 
proud of the dress nature gave us — a little 
proud, I mean, but not too much as some peo- 
ple are.” 

Billy sneered, for he took this as a hint at 
his own well-known pride. “I suppose you 
mean by that I’m too proud,” he said. 

“I wasn’t thinking of any one in particu- 
lar,” replied Bumper. “I wouldn’t be so im- 
polite as that.” 

“Oh, you wouldn’t! You’re very modest 


Billy the Mink 25 

and good today. Well, I know you referred 
to me.” 

Bumper wished to end the conversation, and 
started to hop away, but Billy suddenly 
jumped to his feet. 

“You’re so proud of your white coat that 
I’m going to soil it for you,” he exclaimed. 

Before Bumper realized what he intended 
to do, Billy began pelting him with mud, 
which he dug up with his hind legs. It spat- 
tered all over Bumper, and some of it went in 
his eyes so that he couldn’t see which way to 
run. This was great fun to Billy, and he set 
up a shout of laughter. 

“Now you’re as spotted as Mr. Turtle and 
nearly as black. Ho! Ho! What a sight!” 

Even this humiliation of Bumper didn’t 
satisfy him. He wanted to roll him in the 
mud, and quick as a wink he leaped for him 
and caught him by the back. Then before 
Bumper could run away he had him down in 
the soft mud, which clung to him and turned 
his beautiful white fur a nasty brown. 

“Now look at yourself!” laughed Billy. 
“You’re about as homely looking as any rab- 
bit in the woods.” 

Billy had returned to the place where he 
had been 9unning himself, and flung himself 
down to rest and laugh. Bumper stood twenty 


26 


Bumper Seeks Peace 

feet away spattered from head to foot with the 
mud. He was so upset by this unwarranted 
attack and humiliation that for a moment he 
could not speak. His one desire was to get 
even with Billy, and punish him. 

Then as if in answer to his wish there came 
the opportunity. Gliding out of the bushes 
with stealthy tread, approaching Billy from 
behind was Sneaky the Wolf. In their 
struggle neither one had noticed his approach. 
Fie had crept almost upon them before 
Bumper happened to see him. 

Sneaky was after Billy the Mink, for he was 
much the nearest, and was larger and fatter 
than Bumper. He offered such a tempting 
dinner that Sneaky was all atremble, crouch- 
ing for the spring. 

Bumper was perfectly safe for two reasons. 
One was that Sneaky was thinking only of 
Billy and ignoring Bumper, and another was 
the distance was too great for Sneaky to reach 
the white rabbit in a single bound. It seemed 
like a just punishment for his rough joke in 
spattering Bumper with the mud. In another 
minute Sneaky would have him in his jaws, 
and Billy would never play another joke or 
raid a rabbit’s burrow. 

“He who laughs last laughs the longest,” 
Bumper said to himself, smiling. 


27 


Billy the Mink 

Then there came a sudden change over him. 
He seemed to see Billy all torn and bloody, 
and heard his pitiful squeals as Sneaky killed 
him. Oh, that was too severe a punishment 
for playing a rough joke! No, he couldn’t 
stand by in silence and see Billy killed even 
to satisfy a desire for revenge. 

“Billy !” he called suddenly. “Billy, dive 
in the water! Don’t look around! Sneaky’s 
behind you ! Dive ! Dive !” 

Billy had a horror of Sneaky the Wolf, and 
the very mention of his name sent the shivers 
through him. He didn’t wait to ask ques- 
tions, not even to turn and look. He took a 
flying dive for the water just as Sneaky leaped 
for him. 

Billy plunged into the water not a second 
too soon. It had hardly closed over him be- 
fore Sneaky was there, snapping and snarl- 
ing. Then finding that his victim had es- 
caped him, for Sneaky was no diver or swim- 
mer, he turned angrily upon Bumper to pun- 
ish him for giving the warning. 

But Bumper had taken advantage of the in- 
terval to escape. When Sneaky sprang to 
where he had been standing there was no rab- 
bit in sight. Doubly angry at finding both of 
his victims gone, Sneaky snarled and snapped 
his teeth, trotting up and down the edge of the 


28 Bumper Seeks Peace 

river, watching for the return of Billy or 
Bumper. 

But they were wise enough to remain out of 
sight. Sneaky waited a long time, and then 
hid in the bushes and waited longer. But 
nothing happened. Then disgusted, and still 
very angry, he finally trotted away in the 
woods. 

He hadn’t been gone long before a head 
popped out of a hole, and Bumper, with the 
mud all dried and caked on his fur, crawled 
out. He watched and listened to make sure 
he was alone, and then hopped to the bank of 
the stream. 

“Oh, dear,” he said, “how will I ever get 
this mud off of me? It’s all dried on!” 

As if in response to his words, a nose ap- 
peared out of the water, and Billy the Mink 
swam ashore. Bumper eyed him suspiciously 
at first, and stood ready to run; but Billy 
spoke to relieve his mind. 

“Don’t go, Bumper!” he called. “Wait a 
minute!” 

Swimming quickly ashore, Billy climbed up 
on the embankment. “That was a narrow 
squeak for me,” he added, panting a little from 
his exertions. “If it hadn’t been for you, 
Sneaky would surely have had me. Why did 
you warn me after I’d treated you 90?” 


29 


Billy the Mink 

“Because,” stammered Bumper, “I didn’t 
want to see you killed, Billy, even if you had 
spattered me with mud. But how am I ever 
going to get clean again? This mud is all 
caked on me.” 

“I’ll clean you, Bumper. It’s the least I can 
do to repay you. Now stand by the river 
while I splash water over you. That will soon 
wash the mud off.” 

It was a strange sight, Billy the Mink clean- 
ing Bumper the White Rabbit by the edge of 
the river, each laughing and enjoying the work 
as if it was a new game, and if any one had 
seen them it would have caused no end of sur- 
prise. They were now as close friends as be- 
fore they were enemies. 

And if Bumper gets clean in time, and Billy 
doesn’t spatter more mud on him, you will 
hear in the next story of how Bumper met Mr. 
Beaver. 


STORY IV 


Mr. Beaver Has a Surprise 

Mr. Beaver was the most exclusive animal 
of the North Woods. He not only lived apart 
from the other animals, but he constructed a 
house which no others could get into. Often 
it was merely an island in the middle of the 
stream, which he built up himself, and no ani- 
mals except perhaps Billy the Mink or 
Browny the Muskrat could even reach. 

But Billy and Browny had no desire to 
reach it or to investigate it. Mr. Beaver was 
as cross as he was fierce and dangerous. He 
had long teeth, which he kept as sharp as a 
razor by cutting down trees with them. Teeth 
that could cut down a big oak or chestnut were 
certainly to be feared. 

Living alone had made Mr. Beaver a good 
deal of an old cross-patch. Most people who 
live that way generally do get cross and irri- 
table in time. Sometimes if another animal 
ran across Mr. Beaver’s house-top he would 
jump out and make a great time about it 

Mr. Beaver had constructed a dam across a 


31 


32 


Bumper Seeks Peace 

branch of the river so the water above it had 
backed up and formed a big pond. Thus he 
could have his own private fishing pond, for 
the fish upstream couldn’t go down any fur- 
ther, and once caught in the pond Mr. Beaver 
killed a few whenever he was hungry. 

Naturally he was very careful about this 
dam, and didn’t want any one crossing it or 
interfering with it. If it was broken in one 
place the water would rush through it and let 
out many of his fish. 

One day, after a long roundabout trip 
through the woods, Bumper was returning 
home when he reached the river. The bridge 
made of fallen trees that crossed to the other 
side was nearly a mile below him. 

“Oh, dear,” he groaned, “I’m dead tired, 
and now I must walk a mile down the river to 
get home.” 

He stood on the brink of the stream looking 
longingly at the other side. Then, glancing 
up, his eyes opened with surprise and pleas- 
ure. There was Mr. Beaver’s dam a few 
yards above him, stretching from bank to 
bank. 

“I suppose Mr. Beaver will object,” he said 
to himself, “but if I walk very softly he won’t 
hear me. Certainly not if he’s asleep. Any- 
way, I’m going across that dam.” 


83 


Mr. Beaver Has a Surprise 

You couldn’t blame him for wanting to save 
that long tramp down the river and back, and 
nobody but Mr. Beaver would have objected 
to his crossing the dam. Bumper hoped that 
by hopping along gently he wouldn’t attract 
Mr. Beaver’s attention. But it is very diffi- 
cult to walk across the roof of a house and not 
attract the attention of those living in it. 

No sooner had Bumper got fairly well on 
the top of the dam, than there was an angry 
growl inside. Then almost before he could 
think, up came Mr. Beaver, snorting and 
spouting water from his nose. 

“What are you doing on my dam?” he de- 
manded. “Don’t you know that nobody is al- 
lowed to cross it?” 

“I’m sorry, Mr. Beaver,” replied Bumper. 
“I’ve been a long distance today, and when I 
reached the river I felt too tired to go down 
by the bridge. I thought if I stepped very 
softly it wouldn’t disturb you.” 

“Well, it did! Now go back and take the 
bridge, and don’t you ever dare cross this dam 
again.” 

“But the bridge is a mile down stream,” re- 
plied Bumper, “and I’m half way across the 
dam. Surely you’ll let me go on now.” 

“No, you can’t go another step.” 

Mr. Beaver stood directly in his way so he 


34 


Bumper Seeks Peace 

could not cross without passing close to him. 
Mr. Beaver’s refusal angered Bumper for a 
moment, and instead of turning around to obey 
he decided he’d trick Mr. Beaver. He could 
easily leap over his head and run away from 
him. 

“You’re not very friendly to make me do 
that,” Bumper replied, still watching for his 
chance. 

“I don’t intend to be friendly,” was the 
prompt retort. “I only want to be let alone. 
Now go back!” 

“Do you know, Mr. Beaver,” Bumper re- 
plied, “I could get by you very easily and cross 
the dam? I could jump over your head in one 
hop and almost reach the other shore. But I 
won’t do it! If you’re so mean as to send me 
back, I don’t want anything more to do with 
you. The sooner I get away the better I’ll like 
it. But some day, Mr. Beaver, your selfishness 
will bring you trouble. You will wish for a 
friend then, and none will come. No, not 
one!” 

“You can’t frighten me!” exclaimed Mr. 
Beaver. “Nothing’s going to happen to me!” 

But even as he said it he felt a little nervous. 
Bumper’s words had touched the quick. He 
wished now he hadn’t been so selfish, but he 
was too old and crusty to acknowledge it. So 


Mr. Beaver Has a Surprise 35 

he stood on guard and watched the white rab- 
bit hop back to the shore, and then he swung 
around to take a long dive into the water. 

Perhaps Mr. Beaver had been on that log 
a hundred times, and nothing had ever hap- 
pened ; but one end had been balanced on an- 
other log for so long that it was rotted away. 
Suddenly it slipped down and carried Mr. 
Beaver with it, but not on top. He was 
wedged in between two logs so that he 
couldn’t move down or up. Squeeze his body 
as flat as he could there was no way out. 

For a moment he struggled frantically, and 
then finding he could make no headway he 
became frightened. What if he were caught 
there and couldn’t escape! He would starve 
to death in a few days, and no one would 
know anything about it until too late. 

What a horrible prospect! With a little 
squeal of fear at the thought of it, he looked 
up at the sky and across the pond he had 
made. There was no one to help him. Now 
he recalled Bumper’s words. When he 
needed a friend there would be none to come 
to help him. Oh, how much he would give 
for a friend just now! 

He struggled and struggled, but the two 
logs were embedded in the mud so he couldn’t 
budge them. He was caught so he couldn’t 


86 


Bumper Seeks Peace 

get at them with his sharp teeth to gnaw his 
way out. He was certainly a prisoner for 
life. 

Suddenly there was a tap, tap over his head, 
and he looked up to see the White Rabbit 
gazing down at him. “ I heard you squeal, 
Mr. Beaver,” Bumper said, “and I thought 
something had happened to you. Oh, I see 
you’re caught between the two logs!” 

“Yes, Bumper, and I can’t get out. I’m 
afraid I’ll starve here unless you can find 
Buster the Bear and get him to move the logs. 
And even then he may eat me up.” 

“I can do better than that,” said Bumper. 
“If you keep still I can gnaw away enough 
from this log so you can squeeze your way 
out.” 

“Oh, if you could, Bumper!” exclaimed 
Mr. Beaver. 

There were tears in Mr. Beaver’s eyes, for 
he was terribly frightened, and when Bumper 
began gnawing at the log he watched him 
anxiously. 

It was a long, hard job, but Bumper finally 
gnawed away enough of the wood for Mr. 
Beaver to get out. When he finally stood on 
the top of the log, he was so shaken by the 
experience that his teeth chattered. 

“Bumper, you were right,” he said. 







} 













“Tell your people that they can cross my dam ? ' 




m 


Mr. Beaver Has a Surprise 

“Everybody needs friends, and the time to 
make them is before you’re in danger. I 
won’t be so selfish again. Tell your people 
that they can cross my dam, and when they 
come ask them to speak a friendly word to 
me. I want to be their friend.” 

All of which delighted Bumper, and when 
he finally left Mr. Beaver his heart was sing- 
ing for gladness. 

In the next story there will be an account 
of how the Birds brought terrible news to the 
rabbits. 



STORY V 


Thu Terrible News the Birds Brought 

After leaving Mr. Beaver, Bumper hurried 
home, and when he hopped into the burrow 
he was greeted by Fuzzy Wuzz who had been 
anxiously waiting for him. Bumper had been 
away from home so much lately that he was 
as glad to get back as Fuzzy Wuzz was to see 
him. 

“We’ve all missed you so much,” she said 
tenderly. “Old Blind Rabbit’s been asking 
about you every hour of the day.” 

“Well, I have good news to tell you,” was 
the reply. Then he related his experience 
with Mr. Beaver and with Billy the Mink, 
concluding with the remark: “They’re both 
our friends now. In time of need they’d stand 
by us and help us. That’s something worth 
bragging about.” 

“Indeed, it is, Bumper,” replied Old Blind 
Rabbit. “It is better to make a dozen friends 
than one enemy.” 

Bumper was very much pleased with his 
work, and highly gratified at Old Blind Rab- 


39 


40 Bumper Seeks Peace 

bit’s commendation of it. Now that he had 
set forth to make friends of all the birds and 
animals of the woods who would listen to 
him, he felt that he must leave no stone un- 
turned to accomplish his end. 

So after resting a while in the burrow, he 
got up to go forth once more to see if further 
adventures that he could turn to good account 
awaited him. “It’s astonishing,” he re- 
marked to Fuzzy Wuzz, “how much good 
you can do in the world if you’re on the look- 
out for it. I’m just learning to keep my eyes 
open.” 

Fuzzy Wuzz nodded and smiled at him. 
They were standing at the entrance to the bur- 
row when suddenly Hermit the Thrush, who 
had been singing a sweet melody in the bushes, 
stopped. 

“Go, on, Hermit, and finish the song,” 
Bumper called. “I like to hear such a jolly, 
blithe fellow sing.” 

But Hermit flitted his wings and cocked 
his head sideways. “For some reason I don’t 
feel like singing, Bumper,” he said. “I can’t 
explain it, but I’ve simply lost my voice.” 

Bumper laughed good-naturedly. “That’s 
funny,” he replied. “A moment ago you were 
singing so sweetly that I could hardly think 
for listening to you.” 


The Terrible News the Birds Brought 41 

“Yes, I know, but I can’t any more. Do you 
ever have a feeling that something’s going to 
happen? You can’t tell just what it is or 
when it’s coming, but you know it’s in the air. 
Well, that’s the way I felt all of a sudden, and 
my voice left me.” 

“You shouldn’t give away to such feelings, 
Hermit,” laughed Bumper. “You know 
there’s nothing in such — ” 

Before he could finish, Black Cap the 
Chickadee flitted down from a high branch, 
and exclaimed breathlessly: “What’s the mat- 
ter 1 Something’s going to happen! I feel 
it!” 

“Yes,” replied Hermit gravely, “I was just 
telling Bumper I felt it, but he laughed at 
me.” 

“Well, now, if two of you have the same 
feeling,” added Bumper more gravely, “may- 
be there is something in the air that disturbs 
you. Perhaps we’re going to have a storm.” 

“No, it isn’t a storm,” said Black Cap, 
shaking his head. “I know that feeling, and 
this is different.” 

Once more there was a flutter of wings 
among the branches, and Yellow Breast the 
Chat dropped down to the side of Hermit and 
Black Cap. 

“I’m all in a flutter,” he said. “I can’t make 


42 


Bumper Seeks Peace 

it out. Something’s wrong. I just know it. 
I feel it in my bones. I just had to come down 
here for company until the strange feeling 
goes away.” 

“Well, now,” exclaimed Bumper, sitting 
back on his haunches, “this is getting interest- 
ing, and also quite serious. When all three 
of you have that strange feeling, I must con- 
fess there must be something in it. Now how 
do you feel, Yellow Breast? Can’t you de- 
scribe the feeling?” 

“Why, it’s nothing I can put in words,” the 
Chat answered hesitatingly. “It’s just a rest- 
less feeling that makes me nervous. I feel all 
the time as if there was danger brooding in 
the air.” 

“Don’t you think it’s all your imagina- 
tion?” asked Bumper. “I wouldn’t let it 
bother me any more.” 

The fact was the three birds sitting on the 
limb were a little ashamed of their nameless 
fear, and Bumper’s remarks added to their 
confusion. Still they could not deny, it was 
quite a coincidence that all three should have 
experienced the same strange feeling. 

Fuzzy Wuzz was more in sympathy with 
them than Bumper, for she sometimes had at- 
tacks of the nerves which made her afraid 
of everything, even of her own shadow. 


The Terrible News the Birds Brought 4*3 

“I think, Bumper/’ she interrupted, “that 
there’s something in the air that upsets them. 
Don’t you smell something queer?” 

For a moment Bumper sniffed the air, hold- 
ing his nose far up and trying hard to dis- 
tinguish any unusual odor or fragrance in it. 
“No, I can’t say that I do,” he replied slowly 
after a while. “Yes, maybe there is a little 
peculiar odor, but not enough to account for 
all this disturbance.” 

From out of the leaves almost at their feet 
Mrs. Oven-Bird, who had been sitting on her 
nest, crept forth, and overhearing the remarks 
sniffed the air, and then exclaimed: 

“I don’t like the looks of the sun. See how 
red it is. Now what does that mean?” 

“The sun is always red, but sometimes more 
so than at others,” replied Bumper. “Yes, it 
is very red, but I’ve seen it that way at sun- 
set.” 

“But this isn’t sunset,” replied Yellow 
Breast the Chat a little impatiently. “It’s 
early in the morning.” 

There was a startled whirring of wings in 
the bushes, and every one ducked his head 
ready for flight, fearing that it might be 
Dasher the Hawk or even Baldy the Eagle; 
but it was only Whip-Poor-Will the Night 
hawk. He was so unused to flying around in 


44 


Bumper Seeks Peace 

the day time that he was half blinded, and 
nearly collided with the Chat. 

“Ah, me!” he cried. “What’s going to hap- 
pen! I can’t set on my nest! Tell me the 
worst! I can’t see to fly around. The sun 
hurts my eyes. But I must know what it is. 
I know it’s something terrible!” 

“We don’t know of anything, Whip-Poor- 
Will,” said Bumper. “We were just dis- 
cussing it when you interrupted. The sun is 
very red, but not redder than I’ve seen it be- 
fore, and Fuzzy Wuzz says she smells some- 
thing unusual in the air; but beyond that we 
know no more than you do.” 

“Then go and find out,” said Poor Will im- 
patiently. “I can’t go back to my nest in peace 
until I know.” 

“But who can tell us?” 

“Listen!” exclaimed Chat suddenly. 
“What’s that noise?” 

And from sheer nervousness Yellow Breast 
the Chat crouched lower on the branch and 
shivered. 

“Why,” laughed Bumper, “that’s nothing 
but Rusty the Blackbird calling! He’s always 
noisy and chattering. Listen to him!” 

But Rusty was much noisier than usual. 
He was so excited that his voice was raised to 
a high pitch. He was calling to the other 


The Terrible News the Birds Brought 45 

birds and making a great commotion. When 
he finally dropped down in front of the bur- 
row he was all out of breath. It took him 
some time to tell his tale. 

“The woods are on fire,” he said, “and it’s 
coming this way. I was up on Bald Mountain 
when it broke out, and I flew as fast as I could 
to warn everybody.” 

“Bald Mountain!” exclaimed Bumper. 
“Why, Rusty, that’s miles and miles away 
from here. That isn’t anything to get excited 
about. I’m surprised that you should get 
frightened.” 

Now Rusty liked to carry important news, 
especially exciting news, and he had felt very 
big in being the first to tell of the fire; but 
Bumper’s words made him think that he had 
exaggerated it, and he felt quite crest-fallen. 
However, in the next story you will read of 
how the fire spread and raced down Bald 
Mountain. 

















STORY VI 


The Fire in the Woods 

Bumper felt that he had performed a real 
act of kindness in quieting the fright of the 
birds, especially of Rusty the Blackbird, 
whose excitement was likely to stir up general 
fear throughout the woods. Of course, a fire 
in the woods would be a dreadful thing. They 
couldn’t think of anything worse. But it was 
unwise to give a false alarm and scare all the 
young ones. 

At the same time Bumper felt a little un- 
easy. Bald Mountain was a long way off, but 
the wind was blowing straight from it, and he 
began to think that perhaps this accounted for 
the uneasiness of Hermit, Black Cap, Mrs. 
Oven-Bird and Whip-Poor-Will. Fuzzy 
Wuzz might have sniffed the odor of smoke 
on the air, and the frightened birds had 
sensed the danger in the same way. Also it 
would account for the blood-red sun. 

But Bumper continued to make light of the 
danger, laughing good-naturedly, and saying 
that Rusty must have had his wings singed in 


47 


48 


Bumper Seeks Peace 

flying so fast through the air. “I shouldn’t 
worry about it,” he said finally, as he hopped 
away. “Now go back to your nest Whip- 
Poor-Will, and you, too, Mrs. Oven-Bird. If 
anything happens we’ll give the alarm.” 

The birds, now they knew what had caused 
their restlessness, and being assured by 
Bumper that timely warning would be given 
if the fire spread, breathed easier and soon for- 
got all about it. But not Bumper. He was 
anxious to find out for himself if the fire was 
coming toward them. 

As soon as he could get away from Fuzzy 
Wuzz, he ran as fast as he could in the direc- 
tion of Bald Mountain. It was a long run, 
but Bumper was feeling fine, and he covered 
the ground with great speed. 

Half way there he stumbled upon Crawler 
the Tortoise, who was trudging along in the 
opposite direction. “Where to now, Crawler?” 
he hailed. 

“For the river,” replied Crawler without 
stopping. “I smell smoke, and I’m going to 
get in the river mud before it’s too late.” 

“The fire’s a long distance away, isn’t it?” 
replied Bumper. 

“Yes, but it takes me a long time to crawl a 
short distance. So I’m going to start early.” 

Bumper thought this was a good idea, and 


The Fire in the Woods 


49 


he made no attempt to detain Crawler. If he 
couldn’t travel any faster than the Tortoise, he 
would do the same — start early. 

Half a mile further he found Hoppy the 
Toad burrowing into the ground. “What are 
you digging for, Hoppy?” he asked. 

“For a safe place when the fire comes,” was 
the reply. “If I don’t burrow down a foot or 
more I’ll be roasted alive.” 

“Do you think the fire’s coming this way?” 
asked Bumper more alarmed than ever. 

“Of course it is! Ask Baldy the Eagle up 
there! He’s so excited he can’t do anything 
but circle around and utter loud cries. He can 
see what we can’t.” 

Bumper looked up and saw Baldy the Eagle 
and his mate circling around in great spirals. 
They were so far from the earth that they 
looked like tiny specks, but after a while they 
swooped down and lighted on the decayed 
stump of a tree. 

Ordinarily Bumper wouldn’t have dared to 
speak to Baldy, but fear now had made the 
Eagles tame and friendly. A fire in the woods 
changes friends and foes alike. 

“O Baldy,” Bumper called, “I can’t see 
down here, but you can up there. Tell me if 
the fire is coming this way, and is there any 
danger?” 


50 


Bumper Seeks Peace 

“Yes, Bumper,” replied Baldy, glancing 
down at the white rabbit. “It has swept clear 
across Bald Mountain, and is now racing down 
the slope on this side. Our new home is de- 
stroyed, and we’re fleeing for our lives. If you 
want to escape you should run for the river.” 

“Is it as bad as all that!” exclaimed Bumper. 

“Come up here and look for yourself!” 

Bumper smiled at this remark, for he had 
no more chance of getting up there in the top 
of the tree than he had of swimming like Billy 
the Mink under water. 

“You should warn all of your people to 
flee,” Baldy added. “And there’s no time to 
be lost.” 

Baldy and his mate rose then and flew away, 
leaving the white rabbit alone. “It must be 
worse than I thought,” he said to himself. 
“Baldy doesn’t get frightened very easily. I 
must hurry back home.” 

Just then a great commotion back of him 
made him turn. Out of a big hole in a tree 
came Great Horn the Owl. 

“What is it!” he cried. Then seeing the 
white rabbit, he added : “Is it true, Bumper, 
the woods are on fire?” 

“I’m afraid they are, Great Horn. Baldy 
the Eagle said the fire’s coming this way 
rapidly.” 


The Fire in the Woods 51 

“Then I must pack up and leave at once. 
But I’m so blind I can’t see which way to 

fly.” 

“Follow the wind, Great Horn, and you 
won’t need your eyes. It’s blowing away from 
the fire.” 

“That’s so. I’ll do it. Thank you for the 
kind advice, Bumper. Now I must hurry.” 

“And I, too,” said Bumper. 

But once more there was a crash, and 
through the bushes sprang White Tail the 
Deer. Bumper expected to see Sneaky the 
Wolf or Buster the Bear after him, but when 
neither appeared he hailed the deer. 

“Is it the fire you’re running from, White 
Tail?” he called. 

“Yes, all the woods will be burnt up. You’d 
better run for the river, Bumper. It’s your 
only chance.” 

“I think I will.” 

But he didn’t get far before a swarm of birds 
swept down upon him. There were Piney the 
Purple Finch, Towhee the Chewink, Mrs. 
Phoebe Bird, Shrike the Butcher Bird, Mr. 
Woodpecker, Mr. and Mrs. Pine Grosbeak, 
Mr. Crested Flycatcher, and all their families 
and friends. They came in dense clouds, 
shrieking, crying and making a great noise. 

“Run ! Run !” they cried as they flew over 


52 


Bumper Seeks Peace 

his head. “The fire will soon be here, 
Bumper! Run for your life!” 

“I’m going to,” said Bumper. 

But once more he was so startled by a sud- 
den interruption that he couldn’t move. Out 
of the bushes appeared Mr. Fox, running as if 
his life depended upon it. Bumper crouched 
to hide, but Mr. Fox only gave him a side 
glance, and shouted: 

“Run, Bumper! Run to the river! The fire’s 
coming!” 

Bumper was so surprised that Mr. Fox 
should stop long enough to warn him that he 
simply stared and waited. Even his worst 
enemy wasn’t entirely bad, not if he would 
take the trouble to warn him when a great dan- 
ger threatened every living thing in the woods. 

“I’ll remember that, and not think so badly 
of Mr. Fox,” he said. 

Then he thought of his own safety, and was 
ready once more to run home to warn his peo- 
ple of the danger; but out of the bushes at his 
feet came a pitiful wailing cry. Bumper 
stopped, and looked down. It was little 
Spotty the Chameleon, whose bright colors 
now were all dark and splotched. 

“O Bumper,” he wailed, “I can’t get away 
from the fire. I hurt my leg, and can’t run at 
all. I’ll be roasted alive.” 


The Fire in the Woods 


Bumper was horrified, and stopped to con- 
sole him, but the air was getting thick with 
smoke, and he knew that he would have to run 
if he expected to save his own life. But he 
couldn’t leave Spotty behind to be burnt up. 

“Hop on my back, Spotty, and cling to 
it,” he said. 

Spotty glad of the chance climbed up, and 
Bumper started on a mad race through the 
bushes. In the next story you will read of 
Bumper’s further adventures in the fire. 


% 







STORY VII 


Bumper's Mad Race With the Fire 

With Spotty the Chameleon clinging to his 
back, Bumper hopped along as fast as he could 
to get away from the fire. He was very sure 
now that it was spreading throughout the 
woods, for the sun had almost disappeared 
from view, and the air was thick with choking 
smoke and fine cinders. 

If he needed any further evidence, he had 
but to look around him and above. The woods 
were full of big and little animals rushing 
toward the river for safety, and the air over- 
head was clouded with flocks of birds winging 
their way swiftly in the same direction. 

Cries of fear came from every side — calls 
and shouts and whistles. Pandemonium had 
broken loose. Every one was confused and 
frightened. All fears of their bitter enemies 
had been forgotten. Curly the Skunk was rac- 
ing side by side with Sneaky the Wolf, and 
Washer the Raccoon with Buster the Bear. 
Even Loup the Lynx was so terrified that he 
forgot to snarl when Sleepy the Opossum 


55 


56 


Bumper Seeks Peace 

bumped against him, and Killer the Snake 
wriggled past Hoppy the Toad who was still 
busily digging his hole to crawl in out of 
danger. 

No one seemed to notice Bumper hopping 
along with Spotty the Chameleon on his back. 
Ordinarily such a thing would have caused a 
laugh, and perhaps jeers. But now every one 
was so terrified that he paid no attention to 
any one else. 

In leaping over a clump of bushes, Bumper 
suddenly heard a voice call to him. “Oh, 
Bumper, what am I going to do? I can’t run 
fast enough to beat the fire. Oh! Oh 1 1 shall 
be roasted alive!” 

Bumper stopped and looked down at Lazy 
the Snail, who was making all the haste he 
could to get away; but it was a ludicrously 
slow pace. It seemed as if he almost stood 
still when he was crawling the fastest. 

“Why, Lazy, can’t you run faster?” Bumper 
asked. 

“No, you can see I’m doing my best. I never 
was much of a runner.” 

“I should think not,” laughed Bumper. “I 
might give you a lift of a few yards, but that 
wouldn’t do much good. The fire would soon 
catch up to you.” 

“No, that wouldn’t save me,” wailed Lazy. 


Bumper’s Mad Race With the Fire 57 

“Nothing will save me. I’m going to be 
roasted alive.” 

Bumper looked distressed. The thought of 
leaving Lazy behind to be burnt up was more 
than he could stand. Spotty the Chameleon 
clinging to his back had already become a bur- 
den to him, and he felt that another on his 
back would handicap him dreadfully. How- 
ever, he couldn’t leave Lazy the Snail. 

“Crawl up on my back, Lazy, and I’ll carry 
you,” he said finally. “But you must hurry! 
The fire’s coming very fast.” 

Lazy was so slow in crawling up that 
Bumper several times grew impatient and 
urged him to hurry. When he was finally on 
one shoulder, clinging to it with his moist feet, 
Bumper started off once more. He had to 
make up for lost time, and he hopped along at 
the top of his speed. 

All the while he was thinking of Fuzzy 
Wuzz and Old Blind Rabbit. Would they 
run for the river, or would they wait for him 
to return? It distressed him to think that he 
had not been able to warn Whip-Poor-Will 
and Hermit the Thrush as he had promised. 
Would they wait for him? 

He put forth all his strength to gain on the 
other animals, and soon found himself in the 


58 


Bumper Seeks Peace 

lead again. He passed Buster the Bear and 
Billy the Mink and Sleepy the Opossum. 

“I wish I could run as fast as you, Bumper,” 
Sleepy wailed. “I’m afraid I’ll be too late.” 

“No, there’s time enough, Billy,” replied 
Bumper. “I want to run ahead to warn 
Fuzzy Wuzz and Old Blind Rabbit.” 

“Oh, they’ll know the fire’s coming long be- 
fore you reach home. Won’t you wait for 
me? I’m terribly frightened, and if you 
leave me behind I know I’ll die.” 

Bumper slowed down to comfort Billy. He 
ran alongside of him for a time to keep him 
company. This put new heart in Billy, and of 
course hope gave him strength and he really 
ran faster than before. 

They nearly stumbled over White-Foot the 
Deer Mouse, who had been running as fast as 
his little legs would permit him. But he 
curled up now, and stopped, panting for 
breath. 

“What’s the matter, White Foot?” asked 
Bumper. 

“I’m all in,” panted White Foot. “I can’t 
run another step. I’ve run all the way from 
Bald Mountain today, and I’m too tired to 
take another step.” 

“But the fire will catch you here,” protested 
Bumper. “You must try again.” 


Bumper’s Mad Race With the Fire 59 

“No, I can’t. I tell you I’m exhausted, and 
my feet are bleeding.” 

He held up a foot that was covered with 
blood. Bumper’s pity for him was more than 
he could express in words. “Crawl upon my 
back, White Foot. I guess I can carry an- 
other.” 

“Thank you, Bumper! You will save my 
life if you carry me.” 

And White Foot the Deer Mouse hopped 
up by the side of Lazy the Snail and Spotty 
the Chameleon. With this added burden 
Bumper found that he couldn’t run much 
faster than Sleepy the Opossum. 

“I’ll have to keep company with you now, 
Billy,” he said. “I can’t run faster with so 
many on my back.” 

“Why do you carry them, Bumper?” asked 
Sleepy. “Why don’t you let them look out for 
themselves?” 

“For shame on you, Sleepy! Would you 
leave them behind to be burnt up? No, no, 
we can’t do that. We must help each other.” 

“I don’t see that anybody’s helping me,” 
growled Sleepy. 

“I thought I was helping you by keeping 
you company,” replied Bumper. “If it isn’t 
doing you any good, I may as well run ahead.” 

“No, no, don’t leave me!” cried Sleepy. 


60 


Bumper Seeks Peace 

“You are helping me. I didn’t mean what I 
was saying before.” 

“All right, then! Don’t grumble because 
somebody else is having an easier time than 
you.” 

They were approaching the river where it 
was broad and deep, and some of the animals 
ahead were squealing and grunting with pleas- 
ure. Once across the river, they would be safe 
from the flames. 

“Now we’ll soon be there!” exclaimed 
Bumper hopefully. “I can smell the water, 
Billy.” 

“I’m glad of it, for I’m nearly dead.” 

A little squeaking voice suddenly startled 
them, and out of a hole in the nearest tree 
popped the head of Stripe the Chipmunk. 
“Bumper 1 Bumper I” he squealed in his 
high, piping voice. “Is it true the woods are 
on fire?” 

“Yes, Stripe, and you’d better hurry to the 
river.” 

“But I can’t! I broke my leg last week, and 
I can’t use it. Do you think I’ll be safe in this 
hole?” 

“No, of course not! All the trees will fall 
down and be burnt up.” 

“Then I’ll burn with them. Oh I Oh! 
What can I do?” 


Bumper’s Mad Race With the Fire 61 

Bumper stopped and looked at him. Stripe 
was a fat, healthy fellow, and weighed so much 
that Bumper wondered if he could carry him 
on his back. 

“I’ll try to carry you, Stripe,” he said 
finally. “The river is nearby, and maybe I 
can do it. Run up on my back, and hold 
tight” 

Sleepy the Opossum gained on Bumper 
after that. The white rabbit couldn’t possibly 
keep up with him. But he reached the river 
finally, with Stripe the Chipmunk, Lazy the 
Snail, Spotty the Chameleon and White Foot 
the Deer Mouse clinging to his back. In the 
next story you will hear of how they crossed 
the river. 




STORY VIII 


How They Crossed the River 

It was a strange sight that met them when 
they reached the edge of the river. All the 
animals of the woods, big and little, four- 
legged and two-legged, and those without any 
legs, such as Killer the Snake, were congre- 
gated there on the bank. Some of them who 
naturally loved the water, such as Billy the 
Mink and Browny the Muskrat, were already 
in the river, swimming for the other side. 

But most of them were waiting, dipping 
their feet in the water, and then withdrawing 
them. They didn’t like to take the long swim 
unless it was necessary. They kept looking 
over their shoulders to see if the fire was near, 
and then glancing longingly at the other 
shore. 

Bumper sighed with relief when he saw 
Fuzzy Wuzz, Spotted Tail and Old Blind 
Rabbit waiting for him. “Oh, Bumper, we 
were so worried about you !” exclaimed Fuzzy 
Wuzz. “I’m glad you’re here!” 

“There wasn’t any need to worry about 


63 


66 


Bumper Seeks Peace 

said Stripe the Chipmunk, “but if you’ll put 
me on a chip I can float down the river.” 

Bumper had forgotten his little charges, and 
for a moment he was distressed. Then he said 
to Fuzzy Wuzz: “Find a chip for Stripe so 
he can float on it, and then swim along by 
White Foot to see that he doesn’t get ex- 
hausted. I’ll get Pink Nose to carry Spotty 
across on his back. He’ll do it.” 

He hopped away, and soon brought Pink 
Nose back with him, who promised to look 
out for the Chameleon. Lazy said good-bye, 
and began burrowing into the soft mud. 
Fuzzy Wuzz put Stripe the Chipmunk on a 
big chip, and then started to swim across with 
White Foot the Deer Mouse. 

“Now all of you get across,” Bumper com- 
manded, “and I’ll go back to see if I can do 
anything for Bobby Gray Squirrel.” 

“Oh, Bumper, do be careful, and return 
soon,” pleaded Fuzzy Wuzz. 

Bumper promised, and then dashed back 
into the woods. In a very short time he found 
the smoke growing so dense that it made him 
gasp. But he raced on directly toward the ap- 
proaching fire. Pretty soon hot, scorching 
cinders fell about him, and he could hear the 
roar of the flames. 

The bright light ahead told him he was 


How They Crossed the River 

nearly upon the fire, but he loped along, mak- 
ing straight for Bobby’s tree. When he 
reached it he began calling frantically. 

“Bobby! Bobby!” 

A weak little voice responded, and Bumper 
jumped to where it came from. There curled 
up in the leaves at the bottom of the big tree 
was Bobby Gray Squirrel too sick to care 
whether the fire was near or not. 

“What’d you come back for, Bumper?” he 
asked. 

“To save you,” was the quick reply. 

“You can’t do it. I’m too sick and weak to 
walk.” 

“Then get on my back, and hold tight. I’ll 
carry you.” 

“No, Bumper, you couldn’t do it. I’m too 
heavy for you. Run along and save your- 
self.” 

“Get on my back, Bobby, and stop talking! 
Quick now, or we’ll both be scorched. The 
fire’s nearly here.” 

Still protesting, Bobby finally obeyed. He 
was almost as big as Bumper, but not so fat 
and heavy, and to hold himself on he had to 
cling to the white rabbit’s neck. This choked 
Bumper, and made it more difficult for him to 
run. 

But he couldn’t stop for that. He had to 


68 


Bumper Seeks Peace 

hurry, or both of them would be killed by the 
fire. He hopped along slowly with his bur- 
den, and the fire seemed to gain on them. In 
vain he tried to run faster, but he was doing 
all he could. His strength was giving out 
rapidly. 

“I can never swim the river with him,” he 
kept thinking. “I’ll drown surely, but that’s 
better than being burnt alive.” 

When he finally reached the water he was 
too exhausted to jump in. Bobby realized 
that it was impossible to go further. “You go 
alone, Bumper, and leave me,” Bobby said. 
“I can’t swim, but you can.” 

“No, I can’t swim either,” panted Bumper. 
“I haven’t any strength left.” 

“Hello!” a gruff voice called back of them. 
“Who can’t swim, and why not?” 

Buster the Bear stood back of them ready 
to plunge in the river. Bumper explained in 
a few words what he had done, and what he 
hoped to do. Buster looked at him with a 
curious expression in his eyes. 

“Well, well,” he said. “It’s too bad to spoil 
a good thing. I guess I’ll have to take a hand 
in it. Now both of you jump on my back, and 
I’ll get you across. I don’t mind a little swim 
like that.” 

Buster was in earnest and when he invited 












■ I l , I 















. 


















































































































In this way Bumper and Bobby crossed the river 


69 


How They Crossed the River 

them both to get on his back the second time, 
Bobby crawled up and clung to his thick wool, 
but Bumper had to perch on his head so he 
wouldn’t lose his balance. Then, grinning at 
the queer burden he was carrying, Buster 
waded out until the water was over his head, 
and then began swimming. In this way 
Bumper and Bobby Gray Squirrel crossed the 
river to a place of safety. They were the last 
of the animals of the North Woods to get away 
from the fire. 

If Buster doesn’t decide to eat them, or the 
river doesn’t dry up, you’ll hear in the next 
story what happened to them on the other side. 



STORY IX 


The Truce 

That was a great ride across the river on 
Buster’s back. Bobby Gray Squirrel had no 
difficulty in clinging to the Bear’s thick wool, 
for his claws were made to dig into things and 
hold on; but Bumper felt like a shipwrecked 
mariner riding the waves on a cockle-shell. 
Every time Buster pitched forward, or turned 
his head sideways or looked up at the sky, 
Bumper clutched with all four paws at the 
shaggy head, and felt that he would be 
dumped into the water to finish the trip alone. 
It was a balancing act with him that made 
every moment perilous and uncertain. 

Now all the other animals and birds who 
had escaped from the fire were lined upon the 
shore, and when they saw Buster the Bear 
swimming toward them with Bumper the 
White Rabbit perched on his head and Bobby 
Gray Squirrel clinging to his back they stared 
in amazement, rubbing their eyes, and won- 
dering if they were seeing things that were 
really not so. Then as the truth of the funny 


71 


72 Bumper Seeks Peace 

sight dawned upon them, they sat up a shout of 
welcome. The birds whistled; the animals 
barked or squealed ; Killer the Snake squirmed 
and hissed, and Roily Polly and Pink Nose lay 
back and laughed until the tears streamed 
down their cheeks. 

Suddenly a loud, harsh “Hal Ha! Ha!” 
rose above the din. It was Mr. Crow laugh- 
ing at the funny picture. 

The others immediately changed their tune, 
and the woods rang with laughter. Even 
Sneaky the Wolf showed his teeth in a grin, 
and made a noise that sounded like a chuckle 
and Mr. Fox rolled over and over in convul- 
sions of merriment. 

Shrike the Butcher Bird screamed with de- 
light, and, forgot his grudge against the other 
birds, and Singer the Mocking Bird began 
imitating the cries and chuckles of the others 
until the forest fairly bubbled with mirthful 
sounds. Buster didn’t quite understand the 
meaning of it all, but after a while, puffing 
and panting, he reached shallow water, and 
began wading ashore. 

“Are they laughing at us?” he asked sud- 
denly. “It’s no laughing matter,” he added 
with a growl. He objected to being made the 
butt of a joke, although he liked to play jokes 
on others. 


The Truce 


73 


“They don’t mean anything unkind, Buster,” 
Bumper said. “They are happy to think 
you’ve saved us.” 

“Huh! That’s a funny way to show it,” 
snorted Buster. 

And when he crawled up on dry land, and 
saw Sneaky the Wolf grinning, he cuffed him 
on the ear, and added : 

“What do you see that’s so funny, Sneaky? 
I didn’t see you saving anybody but your own 
skin.” 

Sneaky snarled and drew away. 

“I wasn’t as thoughtful as you, Buster,” he 
sneered. “If I had been I’d carried over two 
or three rabbits to eat when I got ashore. But 
Bobby and Bumper will only make a mouth- 
ful for you.” 

“You think I saved them to eat them?” 
snapped Buster angrily. 

“Why, certainly,” politely replied Sneaky 
drawing away from the big paws. “What 
else would you save them for?” 

Bobby and Bumper didn’t like the expres- 
sion on Sneak’s face, and they felt like running 
and hiding, but they decided Buster was a 
good enough protector for them, and they re- 
mained close by his side. 

“No, Buster saved them for us,” remarked 


74 Bumper Seeks Peace 

Mr. Fox slyly. “We ought to thank him for 
it.” 

“Come here, Mr. Fox, and thank me,” 
snarled Buster, turning suddenly. 

“No, thank you,” replied Mr. Fox, trotting 
to a safe distance. “I can thank you here just 
as well.” 

Now that they were all safe on the other 
side of the river, the old hunting instincts of 
the bigger animals were returning, and the 
natural timidity of the smaller ones began to 
show itself. While caught in the fire a truce 
had been declared, but they were all safe now. 

Brindley the Lame, Crooked Ears, Pink 
Nose and Roily Polly began calling their fam- 
ilies together to hide in the bushes, and Sleepy 
the Opossum was taking to the nearest tree, 
and Browny the Muskrat was hunting for a 
convenient hole. The birds were also separat- 
ing according to their clans — the song birds 
and thrushes on one side, and Dasher the 
Hawk, Great Horn the Owl and Baldy the 
Eagle on the other. Loup the Lynx, who had 
been resting in the crotch of a tree after his 
long swim, was crouching and viewing the 
smaller animals with fierce, hungry eyes. 

Bumper saw in a glance that war was about 
to be declared, and all his people without 
homes or any secret hiding place would be- 


The Truce 


75 


come easy prey to their enemies. His soul 
troubled him. The slaughter might be al- 
most as great as if they had all been caught in 
the fire. He felt called upon to do something 
to avert the tragedy. 

“Buster, let me speak to them,” he said sud- 
denly, hopping back on the top of the Bear’s 
head where he could look around and see 
everyone. The sight of the white rabbit on 
Buster’s head once more excited amusement. 

Mr. Crow started off with his loud “Ha! 
Ha!” and Singer the Mocking Bird repeated 
it. The others couldn’t resist it, and they all 
began laughing again. Bumper felt pleased 
at this, for when an animal is laughing he 
can’t be very dangerous. 

Smiling and bowing, Bumper finally raised 
a paw, and said: “Now that we’re safe from 
the fire, we must begin life again on this side 
of the river. It’s all new to us, and not one of 
us has a home. Sneaky and Loup and Mr. Fox 
were very kind to us when we were caught in 
the fire. Not one of them tried to kill us. 
We’re going to thank them for that.” 

Sleepy the Opossum, Washer the Raccoon, 
Mr. Beaver, Curly the Skunk and all the oth- 
ers nodded their heads, and expressed their 
thanks in their different ways. Bumper raised 
his head, and added: “Also we must thank 


76 


Bumper Seeks Peace 

Baldy the Eagle for not attacking the birds, 
and Dasher the Hawk and Great Horn the 
Owl. Instead of attacking us Baldy actually 
gave us warning of the fire, and in that way 
helped us.” 

Baldy looked a little pleased at this, and 
nodded his head. Great Horn ruffled his 
feathers in pride, and blinked hard at the sun. 
Bumper saw that his flattery had a good ef- 
fect, and while they were still in a pleasant 
mood he made haste to propose his plan. 

“Now I’m sure they’re going to give us an- 
other chance,” he went on. “None of us has a 
home, and it will take several days for all of 
us to make new ones. Baldy wants to find a 
new one for his mate, and Loup is anxious to 
please Mrs. Loup, who is waiting for him. 
Now why not declare a truce for two days 
until we can all get settled again on this side of 
the river? Isn’t that fair?” 

Sneaky and Mr. Fox looked a little uncer- 
tain, but Mrs. Loup the Lynx settled it for her 
lord and husband. “Yes,” she said, “that’s 
fair. Come on, Loup, and help me find a new 
home.” 

Baldy’s mate, who was a little cross at being 
driven away from her nest on Bald Mountain, 
was equally anxious to begin housekeeping in 
their new place. She whispered a word or 


The Truce 


77 


two, and Baldy flapped his wings, and the two 
flew away together. 

“How about you, Sneaky and Mr. Fox?” 
growled Buster, turning to these two. “Are 
you going to live up to the truce?” 

“Why — er — ” stammered Mr. Fox. 

“If you don’t,” interrupted Buster, “I’ll 
make you. To tell you the truth, I’d like a 
few boxing lessons with you and Sneaky.” 

“Yes, yes, of course, we agree,” replied Mr. 
Fox and Sneaky hurriedly. 

“Then the meeting is over,” declared 
Buster. “Now every one trot away, and begin 
house hunting. Is that right, Bumper?” 

“Yes, Buster,” replied the white rabbit, 
climbing down. “And if you ever need a 
friend, don’t forget that Bobby and I owe our 
lives to you. We can never thank you 
enough.” 

“Oh, that’s all right!” grinned Buster, as he 
lumbered away. So the meeting was ended, 
and the animals and birds began to separate. 
How they found new homes in the woods, and 
the adventures that befell them will be told in 
the next story. 









STORY X 


House Hunting in the Woods 

The great fire that had swept away the 
woods in which they had always lived made 
every one of the birds and animals homeless. 
Of course, they were thankful they had es- 
caped the flames, but they had lost all their 
possessions. Nobody had carried anything 
away with him. 

The next two days were spent in house 
hunting. They were busy days you can 
imagine. It is no easy thing for even the birds 
and animals to pick up a home and start house- 
keeping again. There are so many things to 
consider. 

For instance, the first hole Washer the Rac- 
coon entered was the entrance to an ideal home 
for him, but Billy the Porcupine entered from 
another side at the same time. A dispute im- 
mediately followed. 

“This is my home,” said Billy, bristling up 
his spines. 

“No, it isn’t,” retorted Washer. “I got here 
first." 


70 


80 


Bumper Seeks Peace 

“No such thing. I discovered it first Be- 
cause you can run faster doesn’t matter. It’s 
the question of which discovers it first” 

“Possession is half the law,” retorted 
Washer, showing his teeth. “And I have pos- 
session.” 

“How can you prove that when I’m in pos- 
session, too?” snapped Billy. “I’m here, and 
you can’t put me out” 

“I can, and will,” said Washer, and he made 
a quick dart at Billy, who curled up so sud- 
denly that his sharp spines bristled on every 
side. 

Washer danced around him, but he was un- 
able to get at Billy, who laughed and shouted : 

“Now who’s got possession?” 

Washer wasn’t to be bullied, however, and 
retorted : “I’ll starve you out. You don’t dare 
uncurl. If you do I’ll get you. Now we’ll see 
who owns the place.” 

But Billy had a ready answer. “If I starve 
you’ll starve too. The minute you go out for 
food, I’ll go too. Now what are you going to 
do?” 

Washer recognized the truth of thi9, and 
was silent. He watched Billy with angry eyes, 
but he was still afraid of the bristling ball of 
sharp quills. They were in this attitude of 


House Hunting in the Woods 81 

waiting when Bumper appeared at the mouth 
of the hole. 

“Hello!” he exclaimed, addressing Fuzzy 
Wuzz. “This looks like a promising place. 
Let’s investigate it.” 

He ran in the hole, and came up against 
Washer the Raccoon. “You in here, Washer?” 
he asked. “I didn’t know you were here. Then 
I must look for some other place for a home.” 

“Yes, I’m here,” replied Washer crossly. 
“And so is Billy the Porcupine. There he is 
sulking in the corner. He refused to leave 
when I ordered him out.” 

“He had no right to order me away, 
Bumper,” Billy said, uncurling. “I discov- 
ered the hole first, and came here to claim it 
for a home.” 

“But I beat him down here,” interrupted 
Washer, “and the one that gets first in a hole 
has a right to it. Isn’t that the law of the 
woods, Bumper?” 

“Well, well!” said Bumper, scratching his 
nose thoughtfully. “You’re both right, I sup- 
pose, but one must be wrong.” 

“I discovered it first,” interrupted Billy, 
“and that made it mine.” 

“And I was first down here,” said Washer 
angrily. 

“It seems to me,” remarked Bumper, “that 


82 


Bumper Seeks Peace 

this is a knotty question to settle. Suppose you 
both give it up, and then neither will have the 
advantage.” 

“Huh!” growled Washer. “You want it 
for yourself.” 

“I don’t see why I should give it up,” added 
Billy, “not even to you, Bumper.” 

“You misunderstand me, Billy. I didn't 
want it for myself, but you and Washer can’t 
stand here forever disputing about the owner- 
ship. You’d never get settled. We want peace 
in the new woods.” 

The dispute might have lasted indefinitely, 
for Bumper was puzzled how to settle it; but 
just as he was thinking he would have to give 
it up Groundy the Woodchuck rushed down 
the hole, and seeing so many there he stopped 
in surprise. 

“Hello! I didn’t know I had company in 
my new home!” he exclaimed. “Well, I’m 
glad to see all of you. It’s a nice comfortable 
home, isn’t it? Almost as good as the one I 
had in the North Woods. Welcome all of 
you !” 

“Well, if that isn’t the limit!” exclaimed 
Washer. 

“The idea!” said Billy, uncurling a little 
more. “I guess you don’t own the whole 
woods, Groundy.” 


House Hunting in the Woods 83 

“No, I don’t claim any such thing, Billy,” 
replied Groundy. “But I do claim this place. 
Why shouldn’t I? I discovered it first, and 
started to make my nest here.” 

“You did, eh?” snapped Washer. “I was 
the first one down here, and it’s mine.” 

“I discovered it first, and it’s mine,” echoed 
Billy. 

Bumper saw that the dispute was likely to 
cause hard feeling between the three friends, 
and he wished to settle it in a friendly way. 

“When did you find it, Groundy?” he 
asked. “And were you down here before?” 

“Yes, hours ago.” 

“Well, I’ve been here for ever and ever so 
long,” said Billy. “Washer knows that, for 
he’s been here too.” 

“Yes, we came in here a long time ago, and 
Groundy wasn’t in sight then. I don’t believe 
he was ever here before. He’s just saying that 
to claim the hole.” 

Groundy showed some impatience, and 
then spying something way down in the bot- 
tom of the burrow he smiled. Washer and 
Billy, who had joined together to dispute his 
right, looked in the same direction, but they 
could see nothing. 

“If I prove that I discovered the burrow 
first, and was down here before either Billy or 


84 


Bumper Seeks Peace 

Washer, is it my home?” Groundy asked, 
turning to Bumper. 

“Yes, that’s only fair. It’s the law of the 
woods, and Billy and Washer should agree to 
it. You will, won’t you?” 

He turned and addressed the two sulking 
animals. 

“Yes, I will,” Billy assented after a pause. 

“I too,” said Washer, “but he’s got to prove 
it, and not make up a story.” 

“I’ll prove it,” smiled Groundy. “I don’t 
have to make up any story. Billy, look in the 
corner there and tell me what’s under those 
leaves.” 

Billy wondering what he meant by this re- 
mark obeyed. There was a big ball of leaves 
at the bottom that he hadn’t noticed there be- 
fore, and when he pawed around in them there 
was a little squeak, and up popped the heads 
of three little woodchucks. They were the 
children of Groundy, which he and Mrs. 
Groundy had brought from their old home 
safely across the river. They were stowed away 
snugly in the hole, and had been fast asleep. 

“Well, how’d they get down here?” gasped 
Billy. 

“I brought them here hours ago,” replied 
Groundy. “That’s my evidence that I was 
here before either you or Washer.” 


House Hunting in the Woods 85 

Washer laughed good-naturedly. “I guess 
you’ve proved your point, Groundy, and I for 
one will leave. I couldn’t drive out those dear 
little woodchucks.” 

“Nor me either,” said Billy, smiling down 
at the sleepy youngsters. 

“Then' I guess we’d all better leave,” re- 
marked Bumper, “and let Groundy have the 
burrow.” 

So the dispute of ownership was settled, and 
all hopped away, leaving Groundy in posses- 
sion. The next story will be about how 
Bumper settled a dispute between Pink Nose 
and Roily Polly. 


t 






STORY XI 


Pink Nose and Rolly Polly 

Bumper, finding that Groundy was entitled 
to the burrow he and Fuzzy Wuzz had en- 
tered, hopped away in search of another place. 
Of course, there had been a grand scramble in 
the woods for the choice sites. Just like peo- 
ple when new land is thrown open for settle- 
ment, every one of the animals made a rush for 
the best holes. 

This naturally caused all sorts of conflicts, 
and disputes rose on every side. The choicest 
places were close to the river where they 
would have water right at their door. But 
Billy the Mink and Browny the Muskrat had 
the first right to these water sites, for they 
couldn’t live inland. Their homes had to be 
near or under the water. Mr. Beaver like- 
wise had to have a swimming pool adjoining 
his home, and he came in next for river views. 

Fortunately Sneaky the Wolf and Mr. 
Fox, as well as Loup the Lynx, preferred dens 
in the very heart of the woods, and they 
prowled around in the thickest places, leav- 


87 


88 


Bumper Seeks Peace 

ing the smaller animals to dispute about sites 
on the water front. 

Even the rabbits wanted to be within a 
short distance of the river. “If we have a fire 
on this side some day,” remarked Pink Nose, 
“I want to be so close to the river I can cross 
it in the middle of the night.” 

“Goodness me!” exclaimed Roily Polly. 
“Don’t speak about another fire! I don’t think 
I could go through another one.” 

“It frightened me so,” said Crooked Ears, 
“that I’m sure some of my hairs turned gray. 
Certainly I feel years older.” 

“Yes,” added Brindley the Lame, “it was a 
terrible experience, but finding new homes 
for all our families is nearly as heart-rending. 
I declare, I’ve hunted nearly everywhere, and 
haven’t found a place yet to suit me. When 
I do find one that seems just right somebody 
is ahead of me and takes possession.” 

“That reminds me,” laughed Bumper, “of 
the experience of Billy Porcupine and 
Washer the Raccoon. They thought they 
both discovered a home at the same time, and 
neither would give in.” 

Then he related the story of how Groundy 
the Woodchuck had proven to them that 
neither one had any right to the burrow, for 
he had been ahead of them. 


89 


Pink Nose and Roily Polly 

“Ha! Ha!” laughed Roily Polly. “That 
was a good one, and served Billy and Washer 
right for being so selfish.” 

“But they both thought they were right,” 
said Bumper, “yet one of them must have 
been wrong. Which would you say was in 
the right, Roily Polly?” 

“Neither,” was the prompt retort. “They 
were both wrong, and very selfish. If each 
had given in to the other there would have 
been no dispute.” 

“Would you have given in?” 

“Certainly! Who wouldn’t?” 

“I’m sure I would,” said Pink Nose. “I 
quite agree with Roily Polly.” 

“Well, I’m glad to hear it,” said Bumper, 
smiling. “There wouldn’t be any disputes if 
all were as unselfish as you and Roily Polly.” 

Perhaps Pink Nose and Roily Polly 
thought they would be unselfish, and they 
could condemn Billy and Washer without 
having to be put to a real test. But sometimes 
when we boast of our virtues we soon get in a 
fix where we have to prove our words. Now 
this was just what happened to Roily Polly 
and Pink Nose. 

They started out shortly in different direc- 
tions to renew the search for a home site. 
Roily Polly, after much wandering around, 


90 


Bumper Seeks Peace 

came to a clump of trees which seemed to of- 
fer an ideal home for his family. 

“I’ll burrow down under that big tree,” 
he said, “and make a spacious home for my 
little ones. The dirt is soft and smooth here, 
and the roots of the tree will make a good 
foundation for the tunnels.” 

Satisfied that he had at last found just what 
he had been looking for, he began digging. 
First he dug straight down a foot under the 
biggest root, and then ran his tunnel along 
under the tree. When he reached the middle 
he intended to run tunnels on either side, and 
build his burrow. 

He worked hard for several hours until the 
hole was big enough to suit him. “I must be 
nearly under the middle of the tree,” he 
mused, and stopped to rest a minute. 

Suddenly there was a noise of scratching 
and scraping. At first he thought it was out- 
side, and he lay very quiet in the hole, but a 
moment later he was sure that the digging 
came from underneath. A little frightened, 
he waited and listened. 

Some animal was digging down on the op- 
posite side of the big tree. Roily Polly was 
ready to run if the animal proved to be an 
enemy, but before he could leave the dirt 


91 


Pink Nose and Roily Polly 

crumbled before him, and the head of Pink 
Nose was thrust through the opening. 

“What a scare you gave me!” exclaimed 
Roily Polly. “I thought the Hound or Mr. 
Fox was after me.” 

“You gave me a shock, too,” replied Pink 
Nose. “I didn’t know you were here until I 
saw you.” 

“Yes, I’ve found a home for my family at 
last. I chose this big tree, and I’ve dug a tun- 
nel clear under it. But what are you doing, 
Pink Nose?” 

“Digging a burrow for my family. Can’t 
you see for yourself? I started on the other 
side of the tree, and I’ve dug clear down to 
here.” 

“Yes, but you can’t have this place,” pro- 
tested Roily Polly. “I’ve selected it for my 
burrow.” 

“And I’ve selected it for mine. See what a 
long tunnel I’ve dug.” 

“Not longer than mine ” 

“Oh, yes, it is. Just to show you I’ll meas- 
ure it, and then we’ll measure yours.” 

“Ail right! It’s agreed that the one who’s 
dug the longest tunnel has the place for his 
burrow. Is that right?” 

“Yes, I’ll agree to that.” 

They measured first one, and then the other. 


92 Bumper Seeks Peace 

Then they measured them again, and frowned. 
They were exactly the same length. 

“Now what are you going to do?” asked 
Pink Nose. 

“Stay here, of course. I have as much right 
as you.” 

“Then I’ll stay, too. You can’t frighten me 
away, and I don’t intend to have all my work 
for nothing.” 

Bumper found them in this unyielding state 
of mind, with neither one willing to give way 
to the other. Recalling their remarks about 
Billy Porcupine and Washer the Raccoon, 
Bumper smiled to himself. After all they 
were not much less selfish than Billy and 
Washer when put to the real test. It is al- 
ways easier to preach than practice. 

“It seems to me,” Bumper remarked after 
a while, “that we’d better make a two-family 
house out of this burrow. That’s the simplest 
solution of the problem.” 

“How can we do that?” asked Roily Polly. 
“I never heard of such a thing. My family 
could never live with Pink Nose’s family.” 

“No, but you could dig to the right, and 
Pink Nose to the left, starting from this meet- 
ing point,” Bumper explained. “Your bur- 
row would be on the right, and Pink Nose’s 
on the left, and you could each use your own 


93 


Pink Nose and Holly Polly 

entrance to it. Then you wouldn’t have to do 
the work you’ve done all over again.” 

This pleased both of them, and they began 
burrowing to the right and left until they had 
the first two-family house ever built in the 
woods. Each had its separate entrance, which 
met in a common hall at their doors. The 
next story will tell of Downy the Woodpecker 
and Belt the Sapsucker. 





STORY XII 


Downy the Woodpecker and Belt the 
Sapsucker 

Not all the trouble in establishing them- 
selves in the new woods was confined to the 
animals. The coming of so many birds across 
the river all at once, each without a home or 
nesting place, caused a great amount of con- 
fusion. There were trees aplenty, but not 
every tree is suitable for a bird’s nest. 

Piney the Purple Finch, for instance, 
wanted the same high branch to build his nest 
on that Mr. Pine Grosbeak had chosen, and 
they quarreled over it until Shrike the 
Butcher Bird came along and drove them 
both away with his shrill cries and threaten- 
ing manner. Yellow Breast the Chat found a 
tangled thicket under a big pine for his home, 
but Towhee the Chewink objected, for he had 
made his new home in that thicket. Hermit 
the Thrush had been fortunate in finding an 
ideal home for her brood, and was perfectly 
satisfied until she found Great Horn the Owl 

95 * 


96 Bumper Seeks Peace 

had taken possession of a hole in a rotten tree 
branch directly over her head. 

And so it was with all the others. There 
were confusion and disputes and mistakes, and 
all sorts of heart aches and disappointment. 
But the saddest was the trouble between 
Downy the Woodpecker and Belt the Sap- 
sucker. 

Now Downy and Belt were close relations, 
first cousins, in fact, and they should have 
known better; but then relatives, even broth- 
ers and sisters, sometimes have their quarrels, 
and we can’t entirely blame Belt and Downy. 

It was this way. Downy found a hole in 
the rotten trunk of a tall tree, and immediately 
began hollowing it out a little more so he 
could build his nest at the bottom. Then 
Belt, who had had poor luck finding a place 
for his home, saw the tree, and immediately 
became jealous of his cousin. And envy gen- 
erally breeds unpleasant thoughts and deeds. 
Belt determined to drive Downy away by 
methods that later he was ashamed of. 

“ You’re surely not going to build your nest 
in that hole Downy!” Belt exclaimed. 

“Why, yes, I am! Why shouldn’t I?” 

“Well, if you want Hoot the Owl in your 
family it’s none of my affair,” was the reply. 

“Hoot the Owl! Is he around here?” ex- 


The Woodpecker and the Sapsucker 97 

claimed Downy, in genuine surprise and 
alarm. 

“Around here!” laughed Belt. “Didn’t 
you see him digging out that hole to build his 
nest? Surely you must see marks of his claws 
in the wood.” 

Downy was so frightened that he thought 
he saw the marks of Hoot’s claws all around 
him. Yes, he was certain that the hole had 
been dug out by Hoot, and he could smell the 
odors of the owl at the bottom now that his at- 
tention was called to it. 

“Thank you for telling me, Belt,” he said. 
“Of course, I don’t want to build anywhere 
near Hoot. No, no, not within a mile of him. 
I’ll go as far away as I can.” 

And he flew away, leaving Belt in posses- 
sion. It was a wicked trick, but Belt felt that 
the circumstances warranted a little decep- 
tion. He wanted the hole in the worst way, 
and now that Downy had abandoned it, why, 
of course, he had a right to take it. He be- 
gan almost immediately to fix it up. He dug 
a little deeper into the heart of the tree with 
his strong bill until he had a hole that just sat- 
isfied him. 

Then he flew away to gather leaves and 
grass for the nest. He made many trips until 
the nest was nearly all built. He wanted it 


98 


Bumper Seeks Peace 

finished before Mrs. Belt arrived, but night 
came with it only three-quarters finished. 

“I think I’ll sleep in it tonight,” he said, 
“and then finish it early in the morning.” 

He went to bed early, as all self-respecting 
birds do, and was fast asleep shortly after 
dusk. He was dreaming of pleasant things 
when he was suddenly awakened by a noise 
outside. He sat up and listened. It was Mr. 
Hoot the Owl and his mate sitting on the door- 
step of his home talking. 

“I think this hole will do very well for us,” 
Hoot was saying. “It’s the best I can find.” 

“I don’t know,” replied Mrs. Hoot. “We 
might find a better place if we looked fur- 
ther.” 

“Haven’t we looked all over the woods?” 
asked Hoot impatiently. “I’m dreadfully 
tired, and this house hunting tires me more 
than anything else in the world. The last 
place I selected you didn’t like because it was 
too near the river, and now this one is way 
back.” 

“It’s too far away from all my friends, too,” 
objected Mrs. Hoot. “I don’t like to live off 
alone. I want to be near other people.” 

“Yes, that’s it — always objecting!” ex- 
claimed Hoot irritably. “Well, then, if you 


The Woodpecker and the Sapsucker 99 

can find a better place go and look for it 
This suits me.” 

“Now please don’t get angry,” replied Mrs. 
Hoot. “I didn’t say this place didn’t please 
me. I can’t tell until we look it over. Sup- 
pose we go inside and see how it is in there. 
Of course, there will have to be many im- 
provements made. I never saw a house ready- 
made for me that was satisfactory in all re- 
spects.” 

“No, indeed,” replied Hoot. “But I’ll look 
inside.” 

You can imagine Belt’s feelings! There he 
was shut up in the hole with Hoot the Owl 
coming down to look around. Oh, what could 
he do! Why had he deceived Downy! Now 
he was going to be punished for his lie. 

“If I ever get out of here alive,” 
he breathed, “I’ll never tell another lie. I’ll 
never deceive any one again.” 

But of course this didn’t get him out. Noth- 
ing could ! The entrance was blocked by Hoot 
and his mate. Then he heard Hoot scrambl- 
ing through the opening. In another minute 
he would discover Belt crouched at the bottom 
of the hole. 

“Oh, dear, the hole is altogether too small 
for us,” he heard Hoot say. “No, this will 
never suit you. It will take more repairing 


100 


Bumper Seeks Peace 

than it’s worth. I’ll have to make the entrance 
twice as large.” 

“Then if we’re going to look further come 
on right away,” said Mrs. Hoot. “We’ve got 
to find a suitable place before morning.” 

After a few more words they flew away. 
Belt heard them go, and a great relief came to 
him. It seemed too good to be true. He 
wasn’t going to be eaten up after all. He was 
so thankful that he said to himself before he 
dropped off to sleep again, “In the morning 
I’ll tell Downy he can have the hole. I’ll con- 
fess all to him.” 

But when the sun appeared, and Belt 
peeped out of the hole to see the light of a new 
day, he was so pleased with the beauty of the 
woods that he regretted he had decided to give 
up his home to Downy. For a moment his de- 
cision wavered. Then he said: “No, I’ll keep 
my word. I’ll tell Downy at once.” 

He flew away into the woods until he found 
his cousin. Downy listened to his story, and 
then shook his head : 

“You deserve the scare you got, Belt, but I 
forgive you for telling me that story. How- 
ever, I don’t want the hole. I’ve found one 
that suits me better. You can have the old 
one.” 

So it really worked out for the best, and 



After a few more words they flew away 





The Woodpecker and the Sapsucker 101 

Belt took permanent possession of the old 
hole, which he took good care not to enlarge 
so Hoot could get in, and Downy remained in 
happy possession of the new one he had found. 

In the next story you will hear how Killer 
the Snake broke the truce in the woods and 
got himself in trouble. 













STORY XIII 


How Killer the Snake Broke the Truce 

Of all the creatures of the woods Killer the 
Snake had the reputation for sly deception 
fchat made him the most distrusted. Perhaps 
his reputation was not founded upon justice, 
but at any rate Bumper was not easy in mind 
when Killer crawled away in the bushes, after 
the agreement, without a word as to his inten- 
tions. 

Killer’s favorite pastime was robbing nests 
of their eggs and young birds, or hunting 
Hoppy the Toad, which he swallowed whole. 
When such food was not to be found, he would 
sometimes raid the burrows of the larger ani- 
mals. He had been known to run off with the 
young of Gray Back the Weasel and Stripe 
the Chipmunk. 

Bumper’s fears that Killer might cause 
trouble seemed unfounded, however, and 
nothing was heard of Killer for the first day 
and night. Everybody seemed so busy finding 
a home that no one gave any attention to his 
coming and going. 


103 


104 


Bumper Seeks Peace 

Rusty the Blackbird reported that Killer 
was in the thick woods, but what he was doing 
there he could not say. He had kept an eye 
on him for a time, and then had to fly away to 
attend to his own business. The rest of the 
birds had not seen him at all, and his presence 
was something of a mystery. 

On the second day, however, Bumper was 
returning to a burrow that he and Fuzzy 
Wuzz had discovered for their future home, 
when he was startled by the plaintive cries of 
Hermit the Thrush among the bushes. At 
first Bumper thought Hermit was talking to 
her mate, but when the cries increased he 
hopped in her direction. 

“What’s all the noise about, Hermit?” he 
called. “Can’t you find a place for your new 
home?” 

“Oh, Bumper,” exclaimed Hermit, flutter- 
ing toward him, “Killer is trying to rob my 
nest. I have one egg in it, and he’s going to 
steal it.” 

Bumper gave a big jump through the 
bushes, and landed close to the place where 
Killer was coiled. Near him was Hermit’s 
nest in a small bush just off the ground. A 
tiny greenish egg was in it. 

“Killer, if you break the law of the woods 
you’ll be punished,” Bumper exclaimed in 


How Killer the Snake Broke Truce 105 

anger. “The truce between the animals and 
birds hasn’t ended yet.” 

Killer turned defiantly upon the white rab- 
bit, and hissed: “Don’t bother your head, 
Bumper. This egg doesn’t belong to you. 
Now run along, and forget it.” 

“You remember what I did to you the other 
day, Killer,” Bumper replied. “Well, this 
time you won’t get off so easily. If you don’t 
go away immediately, I’ll call all the birds 
and animals of the woods to punish you. They 
will outlaw you, and be your enemy forever.” 

“That wouldn’t be anything new, Bumper,” 
hissed Killer. “They’re my enemies now. I’m 
going to have, this egg for my breakfast. I’m 
mighty hungry.” 

“No, you’re not,” answered Bumper, 
springing toward him. Killer dodged back 
and then shot his head forward as if to strike, 
but Bumper dodged and landed on the other 
side. His idea was to play the same game on 
Killer that had been so successful before but 
they were in a tangled thicket now, and not 
out in an open space. 

He soon found it impossible to run around 
Killer in a circle until he got him dizzy 
watching. Indeed, Killer had the advantage 
of him. He could turn and crawl through the 
thicket much faster than the rabbit. Once in 


106 Bumper Seeks Peace 

his effort to escape the darting head of the 
snake, Bumper stumbled and got caught in 
the bushes. Killer laughed heartily. 

“In another minute I’d had you,” he said. 
“You can’t play that old trick on me in here. 
If you don’t look out I’ll get you yet, and 
choke you to death. If I once coil my body 
around you it will be the last time you’ll in- 
terfere with me.” 

Bumper began to realize that he was in real 
danger, for there was little room in the bushes 
for him to hop around, and if he got caught 
once in the thicket Killer could crawl upon 
him and strangle him to death. So he had to 
be more cautious. He kept at a greater dis- 
tance, but made darts at the serpent as if he 
intended to jump at him. Killer approached 
nearer, driving him further and further away 
from the nest. 

“Now come on and fight me,” Killer jeered. 
“What’s the matter? Are you afraid of me?” 

“Hermit! Hermit!” Bumper called over 
his shoulder. 

When there was no response, Killer laughed 
at him. 

“Hermit’s left you,” he said. “She’s afraid 
to stay here. She didn’t think enough of her 
egg to fight for it, but she let you risk your 


How Killer the Snake Broke Truce 107 

life to protect it. Now you see how much 
friendship amounts to!” 

Bumper kept on calling, but Killer was ap- 
parently right. Hermit had left, and was not 
within hearing distance. Still for the sake of 
making Killer observe the truce, Bumper 
stood his ground, and took every advantage he 
could to run in and snap his teeth. 

In spite of this the snake drove him away, 
and then crawled back to the nest. He reached 
the bush and started to climb it. Bumper 
made a furious rush to frighten him away. 
Then he stopped. He couldn’t go forward 
nor backward. He was caught in the thick 
bushes, with his plump body jammed in be- 
tween two stout saplings and his neck en- 
tangled among briers and bushes. 

“Ah! Ha!” exclaimed Killer jubilantly. 
“You’re caught now, and I’ll make short work 
of you. After I’ve strangled you to death, I’ll 
eat the egg at my leisure.” 

Bumper struggled frantically to get loose, 
and Killer approached him, with his forked 
tongue darting out threateningly. Bumper 
suddenly felt weak and faint. The sight of 
Killer drawing nearer frightened him. He 
could neither run away nor protect himself. 

It did seem like the last of Bumper. Killer 
was certain that he had him, and Bumper 


108 


Bumper Seeks Peace 

thought so too. With his neck caught in the 
vines, the rabbit couldn’t even turn to face his 
enemy. But neither one had reckoned with 
Hermit the Thrush. 

It is true she had flown away, but not for 
the purpose of deserting Bumper. She 
thought Bumper would keep Killer busy until 
she could summon help. 

And what a lot of helpers she found! When 
Killer was within a foot of Bumper there was 
a sudden sound of whirring wings, and the 
forest was darkened by the flight of birds that 
swooped down upon them. There were Rusty 
the Blackbird and his mate, Singer the Mock- 
ing Bird, Piney the Purple Finch, Belt the 
Sapsucker, Yellow Breast the Chat, and good- 
ness knows how many others! It seemed as if 
all the birds of the North Woods were there, 
whistling, calling, crying and shrieking. 

Killer looked up and caught sight of this 
great host, and then ducked his head. He 
tried to crawl away and hide in the bushes, 
but the birds found him and darted down at 
him. Their sharp bills caught him in the 
head, the body, the tail, and wherever he was 
the most sensitive. 

Killer tried to fight back at first, but there 
were too many for him. They attacked him 
on all sides, and punished him so that he ached 


How Killer the Snake Broke Truce 109 

and pained all over. Then he ran, and the 
birds followed him. Again and again they 
pecked him. It was like sticking dozens of 
needles in his body. 

Finally he discovered a hole in the ground, 
and disappeared in it, but not until after he 
had been wounded so many times that he 
could not count them. It was a proper pun- 
ishment for breaking the truce, and the birds 
were glad they had been in time to save Her- 
mit’s egg. They helped the rabbit to get out 
of the thicket, and then all talked together and 
laughed and sang until the woods echoed with 
the noise. Next story will tell of an adventure 
with Sneaky and Mr. Fox. 



STORY XIV 


An Adventure With Sneaky and Mr. Fox 

As the end of the two days of truce declared 
by the animals in the woods drew near, 
Bumper was pleased to find that all of his 
friends had new homes and were contentedly 
settled in them. Pink Nose, Roily Polly, 
Crooked Ears and Brindley the Lame had 
found burrows carefully hidden in the heart 
of the forest for their families. Mr. Beaver 
had constructed a new dam and a run-way 
from it to a house in the middle of the stream. 
Billy the Mink and Browny the Muskrat had 
burrowed under the river’s embankment a 
most elaborate system of tunnels for their hid- 
ing places. 

The birds had likewise found nests for their 
little ones, some swinging from the top 
branches of tall trees, and others hidden under 
the leaves on the ground. White Tail the 
Deer had retired to a lonely part of the forest 
for his home; Bobby Gray Squirrel and Stripe 
the Chipmunk had made their nests in secret 
holes in the trees. Even Spotty the Chame- 


111 


112 Bumper Seeks Peace 

leon was settled, and Lazy the Snail was safe 
in the mud. 

“Everything’s all right now — just as it was 
before the fire,” remarked Bumper as he 
hopped through the woods toward his own 
burrow, after making a round of the woods to 
see if any of his friends were still homeless. 
He had made so many friends now that it 
took him a long time to visit them in turn, and 
he was very tired. 

When he came to a wide clearing stretching 
across his path, he stopped at the edge to look 
around. He had never been there before, and 
he was a little cautious. It might be a trap set 
for him by the Hunters, and he sniffed the air 
to see if the Hounds were near. 

Then he hopped across it until he came to a 
deep hole or pit in the middle. He wondered 
what this was for, and stopped at the brink of 
it to look down. It was a bare, empty pit, 
with no sign of a trap near it. 

Suddenly from behind there came a rush of 
small feet, and Mr. Fox shouted aloud, “Now 
I’ve got you, Bumper!” 

So swiftly had Mr. Fox jumped out of the 
bushes that Bumper had merely a second to 
think. He couldn’t retreat, for Mr. Fox was 
immediately behind him. There seemed to be 
only one thing to do. He took a flying leap 


An Adventure With Sneaky and Fox 113 

across the pit, hoping to reach the other side 
in safety. 

But it was a wide pit. No rabbit could hop 
across it. Bumper would never have tried it 
if he hadn’t been excited. He missed the other 
side by a yard, and tumbled straight into the 
pit. He landed on the bottom with a thump, 
and then looked up. Mr. Fox was grinning 
down at him. 

“I thought you’d do that,” he said. “That’s 
why I waited until you were looking in the 
pit. Your curiosity will cost you dearly, 
Bumper.” 

“But Mr. Fox, the truce isn’t up yet,” 
pleaded Bumper. “Surely you won’t break 
your word of honor.” 

“No,” grinned the Fox, “I won’t break my 
word, but I’ll keep you here until morning, 
and then breakfast off you. That wouldn’t be 
breaking my word.” 

“I don’t intend to stay in here until morn- 
ing,” replied Bumper. 

“How’ll you get out?” laughed the Fox. 

Bumper tried jumping up the side of the 
pit, but every time he failed Mr. Fox rolled 
over and laughed. He couldn’t jump up the 
sides any more than he could leap across the 
pit, and Mr. Fox knew it. 

But in one corner Bumper spied a small 


114 


Bumper Seeks Peace 

hole which the water had made in the soft 
earth. The pit was drained through this hole, 
and Bumper immediately saw a way of 
escape. 

What he should have done was to race for 
the hole the moment he discovered it, but he 
hesitated until Mr. Fox’s keen eyes saw it too. 
With a snarl of rage, the Fox reared on his 
hind feet, and when Bumper started for the 
mouth of the hole he leaped into the pit. He 
reached the corner first, and blocked the hole. 

“Ho! Ho!” he laughed. “You thought 
you’d get out that way. Well, I’m going to 
watch at this hole until morning. Then I’ll 
catch you and eat you for breakfast.” 

Bumper retreated to the other side of the 
pit. He looked all around for another way 
out, but not finding any he squatted down in 
a corner to think. Mr. Fox sat down in front 
of the hole, and licked his chops. He could 
afford to keep his word and not attack Bumper 
until the two days were up, for Bumper was 
a prisoner. 

But pretty soon along came Sneaky the 
Wolf. He sniffed around and smelling Mr. 
Fox came and looked down the pit. “Good 
morning, Mr. Fox,” he said politely. “What 
are you doing down there?” 

Now the sight of Sneaky alarmed the Fox. 


An Adventure With Sneaky and Fox 115 

He dreaded the Wolf as much as Bumper 
feared the Fox. He had an unpleasant idea 
that he would have great difficulty in getting 
out of the pit. 

“I was taking a nap, Mr. Wolf,” he replied 
in a trembling voice. 

“Then I think I’ll come down and take one 
with you, Mr. Fox.” 

“Oh, no, please don’t,” pleaded Mr. Fox. 
“You know the truce isn’t up yet, Sneaky.” 

“No, but it will be in the morning. I can 
afford to wait until then for my breakfast.” 

And with that Sneaky leaped down into the 
pit. He trotted around, grinning and nodding 
his head. “What’s behind you, Mr. Fox?” he 
asked, coming closer. “Oh, a hole! You 
thought you could escape through that. If 
you don’t mind I’ll watch there until morn- 
ing.” 

Mr. Fox took the hint, and jumped away. 
He ran around the pit, and made a few des- 
perate efforts to leap out of it, but he couldn’t 
more than reach three-quarters of the way up. 
Bumper watched him in silence, and Sneaky 
grinned at every failure, and shouted with 
glee: 

“Try it again, Mr. Fox! If you don’t suc- 
ceed at first, try, try again. 

The jeering of Sneaky alarmed Mr. Fox so 


116 


Bumper Seeks Peace 

that he tried again and again to scramble out 
of the pit. Then he sneaked off in a corner to 
think. 

Right then, when Sneaky was so sure of his 
morning’s breakfast, Loup the Lynx came 
along. One glance down the pit brought a 
horrid grin to his ugly face. His eyes glowed, 
and his tail lashed with delight. 

“Ah! Ha!” he cried. “How’d you get 
down there, Sneaky?” he called. “Fell in, 
and can’t get out?” 

“No, indeed,” replied Sneaky boldly, as his 
heart beat rapidly. “I can leap out any time 
I want to.” 

“Let me see you do it.” 

“No, thank you, I’m satisfied where I am.” 

“Well, then,” added Loup, “I think I’ll 
come down and keep you company until morn- 
ing. I’m going to be very hungry then. I’ve 
fasted for two days now.” 

And Loup the Lynx dropped into the pit. 
Sneaky made a desperate effort to leap out, 
but he too failed. What Bumper and Mr. Fox 
failed in doing was beyond his reach. He fell 
back repeatedly, while Loup doubled up with 
glee and laughed until the forest rang with 
echoes of it. 

“You can’t do it, Sneaky,” he shouted. 


An Adventure With Sneaky and Fox 117 

“And in the morning I’ll have a fine break- 
fast A pleasant night to you.” 

Sneaky ran away and sat down in a corner 
to think, while Loup closed one eye in sleep, 
but kept the other wide open. What hap- 
pened to them in the pit will follow in the 
next story. 
























































STORY XV 


What Happened at the Bottom of the Pit 

Meanwhile Bumper had been crouching in 
his corner, partly hidden from view by a few 
leaves blown into the pit by the wind. 
Neither Sneaky nor Loup had seen him, and 
Mr. Fox was so troubled by the presence of 
his two enemies in the pit that he gave scant 
attention to the white rabbit. He had no 
stomach now for breakfast or dinner. His 
one desire was to get away safely before 
morning. 

Unfortunately for Bumper, Loup had taken 
up his watchful position directly in front of 
the small hole. If he would only move a 
little to one side, the white rabbit could 
escape. While the hole was too small for Mr. 
Fox or Sneaky to squeeze through, Bumper 
could easily get in it. 

All night long Bumper kept a watchful eye 
on Loup and the mouth of the hole. Once 
the Lynx got up and yawned, stretching his 
great, powerful legs, but he didn’t change his 


119 


120 


Bumper Seeks Peace 

place. The moon came out, partly flooding 
the pit with its bright light. Bumper crouched 
in the shadows and waited. 

Mr. Fox and Sneaky were so quiet that 
Loup grew suspicious. He raised his head 
and glared around him. One side of the pit 
was in dark shadow, and he crept toward it to 
see if all was well with his victim. 

This was Bumper’s opportunity. Quick as 
a flash he darted across the pit. In the moon- 
light his white coat was hardly visible. It 
was not until Loup heard the crunch of his 
feet on the sand that the Lynx was aware of 
his presence. Then he made a dive for him, 
but Bumper scooted into the hole and escaped. 

“If I’d known that rabbit was down here,” 
growled Loup, “I’d kept watch at that hole.” 
Then grinning wickedly, he added: “But a 
rabbit or two doesn’t make much difference so 
long as I have you, Sneaky.” 

Sneaky the Wolf made no reply, but sulked 
in his corner. He was debating in his mind 
whether it wouldn’t be better to attack Mr. 
Fox, and offer him as a peace offering. Per- 
haps Loup would be satisfied with that, and 
then let him go. 

“Loup,” he said, “Mr. Fox is down here, 
too. Now if you’ll promise to let me go, I’ll 
catch him and give him to you for breakfast. 


What Happened at Bottom of Pit 121 

He’s much tenderer and fatter than I, and 
I’m sure you’d like him.” 

“Ahl Ha! So Mr. Fox is down here, is 
he?” said Loup, licking his jaws. “Then my 
breakfast and dinner’s all prepared for me.” 

“But if you don’t let me go,” whined 
Sneaky, “I’ll help Mr. Fox to get away.” 

This threat amused Loup, and he rolled 
over and over with laughter. “How would 
you help him, Sneaky?” he asked finally. “The 
two of you together couldn’t get out of this 
pit No, no, you’re prisoners, and I’m doing 
you both a favor by eating you. If I didn’t 
you’d die down here from slow starvation. 
Now you see how good I am to you.” 

“Perhaps you can’t jump out either,” re- 
plied Sneaky. “No, I don’t believe you can.” 

“What a joke!” laughed Loup. “Just to 
show you, I’ll jump out, and then back again.” 

He crouched for the spring, the great 
muscles of his hind legs knotting in big lumps. 
Then his body shot upward like a stone re- 
leased from a spring trap. But he didn’t 
reach the top. Oh, no, not by a couple of 
yards! He clawed and scratched at the sides 
of the pit, but the loose sand rolled down the 
side and carried him with it. Dumfounded 
and angered by this mishap, he made another 
spring, but again he fell short. 


122 


Bumper Seeks Peace 

Six times Loup tried it, and failed. Then 
he trotted around and tried it on the opposite 
side of the pit. But he failed just as the oth- 
ers had. He couldn’t leap out of the pit, try 
as he would. 

“What did I tell you, Loup,” exclaimed 
Sneaky triumphantly. “We’re all prisoners 
down here, and instead of fighting each other 
we should try to think of some way of escape. 
Three minds are better than one.” 

“What can you suggest, Sneaky?” asked 
Loup, whose defiant spirit was considerably 
tamed now. 

“Why, I don’t know. Perhaps if I could 
stand on your back, and Mr. Fox on mine, one 
of us could get out. Mr. Fox surely could, 
and then he could throw down something to 
help us out.” 

“I wouldn’t trust you,” growled Loup. 
“Neither would I trust Mr. Fox. He’d run 
away, and leave us here.” 

“Oh, no, I wouldn’t, Loup,” replied Mr. 
Fox. 

Loup considered. No, he wouldn’t trust 
either of them. Neither would Sneaky or Mr. 
Fox trust him. Just because each had a bad 
reputation for deceit, neither dared help the 
other to get out. It is generally so with those 


What Happened at Bottom of Pit 123 

who lie and deceive. There is little honor 
among thieves. 

Meanwhile, Bumper had scurried through 
the hole, and found his way out under the 
river’s embankment. The water from the pit 
drained through to the river, and this ac- 
counted for the long tunnel. 

“My, how thankful I am to get out with a 
whole skin 1” he exclaimed. “It was a narrow 
escape.” 

He cleaned the dirt from his white fur, and 
glanced up happily at the moon. “It will go 
hard with Mr. Fox and Sneaky,” he added. 
“I suppose Loup will kill both of them.” 

He shuddered at the very thought, and 
hopped along in silence. In a short time he 
stopped again. He couldn’t get out of his 
mind the thought of Mr. Fox’s fate and of 
Sneaky’s. After all they would suffer just as 
much in being killed as he would. Of course, 
in a way they deserved it, for they intended to 
kill him. 

“Still, I can’t bear to think of them suffer- 
ing so,” he reflected, “not even if they did 
intend to eat me.” 

Bumper was very tender hearted, and the 
more he thought of the terrible fate of his two 
enemies the less he liked it. Finally, he sat 
upright, and said: “I must see Buster the 


124 


Bumper Seeks Peace 

Bear. Maybe he can do something to help 
Mr. Fox and Sneaky. Anyway I must tell 
him.” 

After that he hopped along more rapidly, 
and long before morning he found Buster’s 
den and knocked on the door. Buster wasn’t 
very pleased at being roused out of his sleep 
in the middle of the night, and he grumbled 
angrily. 

“What do you want, Bumper? If it isn’t 
anything important go away, and let me fin- 
ish my nap.” 

“It is important, Buster, or I shouldn’t dis- 
turb you,” was the reply. 

Bumper told him the story of his adven- 
tures, which pleased Buster, who soon lost all 
desire for sleep. Before Bumper was through 
he was chuckling. 

“And you say Loup, and Sneaky and Mr. 
Fox are in the pit now, and can’t get out?” 
he queried. 

“Yes, Buster, and I wish you could help 
Mr. Fox and Sneaky. They’ll be eaten up 
by Loup in the morning.” 

“Ha! Ha!” laughed Buster. “I must get 
around early to see the circus. It will surely 
be worth seeing.” 

“But aren’t you going to help Mr. Fox or 


What Happened at Bottom of Pit 125 

Sneaky?” asked Bumper. “That’s why I 
called to see you.” 

“Help them?” grunted Buster. “What 
for? They’ll eat you up some day if they get 
out.” 

“Perhaps they will,” sighed Bumper, “but 
I can’t bear to think of Loup killing them 
when they’re prisoners. They ought to have 
a fair show.” 

“Yes, I suppose they should. Well,” yawn- 
ing and stretching, “we’ll see what can be 
done. I’ll go with you to the pit. I’ll be 
ready in a minute.” 

What they saw and did in the pit early in 
the morning will be told in the next story. 














STORY XVI 


What Buster Did to Loup, Sneaky and 
Mr. Fox 

Bumper and Buster reached the pit where 
Loup, Sneaky and Mr. Fox were prisoners 
shortly before sunrise. They had started 
early, but it was some distance through the 
woods. Buster crashed clumsily through the 
bushes, and then crossed the clearing to the 
brink of the pit. He looked down, and saw 
all three prisoners at the bottom looking very 
sad and dejected. 

“Hello, Loup!” he called. “Nice place to 
spend the night! Had your breakfast yet?” 

Loup glared back sullenly, for he knew 
that Buster understood his plight. 

“Got good company down there, too, 
Loup,” Buster added. “I see Sneaky and Mr. 
Fox in the corner. But why so gloomy? Oh, 
I see, you can’t get out! Got caught in a trap. 
Well, well, that’s too bad now, isn’t it?” 

He sat down astride a fallen tree. He en- 
joyed the difficulties of the three cowed and 
frightened animals. 


127 


128 Bumper Seeks Peace 

“Bumper here told me how Mr. Fox fright- 
ened him and made him jump in the pit,” he 
continued after a while, “and then how he 
jumped in after him. Then along came 
Sneaky and jumped in to eat Mr. Fox up, and 
I suppose you tried to get Sneaky, Loup. 
Well, well, that’s a big joke.” 

“You wouldn’t think so if you were down 
here,” said Mr. Fox. “Oh, Buster, if you’ll 
help me to get out I’ll always be your friend, 
and do anything you ask of me.” 

“Huh! I couldn’t trust you, Mr. Fox.” 

“Oh, yes, you could, Buster! I’ll promise 
on my heart that I’ll do what you ask of me.” 

Buster’s little eyes twinkled. 

“All right, Mr. Fox, I’ll try you. If I get 
you out will you promise never to hunt the 
rabbits and small animals again?” 

“Yes, Buster, I’ll do as you ask,” replied 
the Fox. 

Buster remained quiet for a moment, and 
then got up and lumbered away. When he re- 
turned he was dragging the end of a long tree. 
“This is because Bumper pleaded for your 
life, Mr. Fox,” he said, pushing one 6nd of the 
tree in the pit. “Now come up, and make 
that promise again.” 

Mr. Fox ran up the tree rapidly, and when 
he reached the brink Buster stopped him. “On 


129 


What Buster Did to Loup 

your heart you promise not to hunt the rab- 
bits and small animals any more?” the Bear 
asked before he would let him pass. Once 
more Mr. Fox crossed his heart and prom- 
ised. 

“Then go, and if you break your word I’ll 
punish you.” 

Mr. Fox trotted away and made a break 
for the thick woods. 

“Now, Sneaky,” Buster added, “it’s your 
turn. Do you want to make the same 
promise?” 

Sneaky was so anxious to get out that he was 
ready to promise anything, and when he 
reached the top Buster made him, repeat it. 
“Remember you’re on parole, Sneaky,” Buster 
cautioned, “and the first time you break your 
word I’ll put you in a worse place than this 
pit.” 

When Sneaky had disappeared, Buster ad- 
dressed the Lynx. “I don’t know about trust- 
ing you Loup,” he said. “I never knew a Lynx 
yet that could keep his word. However, I’ll 
let you go. Give me your promise, and you 
can come up.” 

Loup promised again and again that he 
would let the rabbits and small animals alone. 
Buster accepted his word as he had that of 


130 


Bumper Seeks Peace 

the others, and Loup sprang away into the 
woods and disappeared from sight. 

“I don’t know whether they’ll keep their 
word, Bumper,” Buster said when they were 
alone. “But at any rate they’ve had a big 
scare, and fear will keep them away for a 
time. I think your people will enjoy peace 
for a time.” 

“Yes, and all due to you, Buster,” replied 
Bumper. “I’ve tried to make friends with all 
the birds and animals, but Loup, Sneaky and 
Mr. Fox wouldn’t meet me half way.” 

“Some people are that way, Bumper. 
They’re good only as long as the policeman’s 
around. Hereafter I’ll be the policeman in 
this woods.” 

Bumper nodded, for he believed that this 
was true. 

“Then you’ve made friends with all the 
other animals?” Buster asked after a while. 

“Yes, Mr. Beaver and Billy the Mink and 
Washer the Raccoon are my friends. And so 
are Gray Back the Weasel and Billy Porcu- 
pine and Sleepy the Opossum.” 

“How about me, Bumper?” grinned Buster 
when he stopped. 

“Why, you’ve always been my friend, 
Buster, didn’t you know it?” 

“Well,” growled Buster, “maybe I did and 


131 


What Buster Did to Loup 

maybe I didn’t.” Then smiling at the white 
rabbit he added: “You go home now and tell 
your people there’s going to be peace in the 
woods hereafter. If you can agree among 
yourselves, I’ll see that Loup and Sneaky and 
Mr. Fox don’t bother you any more. If they 
do you just tell me.” 

And Buster frowned so severely, and 
whacked a tree with one of his huge paws so 
soundly, that Bumper jumped to one side, and 
then laughed at his own fear. Indeed, Buster 
was one to be feared when angry, and he could 
protect the small animals from their natural 
enemies. One blow from those huge paws 
would knock Loup senseless and crush in the 
skull of Sneaky or Mr. Fox. 

“I think now,” Bumper said, “I’ll go home 
and tell my people and all the animals and 
birds that peace has come into the woods. 
There will be no more danger for them.” 

So his efforts to seek peace in the woods had 
been rewarded. Bumper the white rabbit had 
brought to his people something that was 
more to be desired than the ability to fight and 
protect themselves. Billy, Browny, Mr. 
Beaver, Gray Back and all the other small 
animals were their friends, and all feuds and 
quarrels had been wiped out. There was to 


132 Bumper Seeks Peace 

be no more fighting. Each was to live his life 
without constant fear of danger. 

Can you wonder that Bumper was light- 
hearted and full of gladness? When he met 
Rusty the Blackbird, he had to stop and tell 
him the good news, and Rusty immediately 
flew away to spread it among all the birds. 

By the time Bumper reached home, the 
birds were gathered there to welcome him, 
and to listen to his story. Then came trooping 
through the woods shortly after Pink Nose, 
Crooked Ears, Brindley the Lame and Roily 
Polly, with all their families. It was a great 
gathering of rabbits and birds. And they 
made such a noise that Billy Porcupine hur- 
ried out of his hole to find out what it was all 
about, and Gray Back the Weasel and Browny 
the Muskrat came, and Sleepy the Opossum, 
and Washer the Raccoon and Mr. Beaver and 
Groundy the Woodchuck. Everybody of im- 
portance seemed to be there. They talked and 
listened, and feasted and danced, until night 
time, and when they finally crept away to their 
burrows and nests they vowed they would 
never quarrel or fight among themselves 
again. Bumper had taught them to live in 
peace and happiness, and they would follow 
his example. 


133 


What Buster Did to Loup 

But of course they had many adventures 
after that — all of them — and particularly 
Bobby Gray Squirrel, whom Bumper had 
saved from the fire, and if you want to hear 
what great things happened to him you 
should read the book called 

“Bobby Gray Squirrel.” 



v 


Bumper the White Rabbit 


story; i 

WHERE BUMPER CAME FROM 

There was once an old woman who had so 
many rabbits that she hardly knew what to do. 
They ate her out of house and home, and kept 
the cupboard so bare she often had to go to bed 
hungry. But none of the rabbits suffered this 
way. They all had their supper, and their break- 
fast, too, even if there wasn’t a crust left in the 
old woman’s cupboard. 

There were big rabbits and little rabbits ; lean 
ones and fat ones; comical little youngsters who 
played pranks upon their elders, and staid, se- 
rious old ones who never laughed or smiled the 
livelong day ; boy rabbits and girl rabbits, 
mother rabbits and father rabbits, and goodness 
knows how many aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces, 
cousins, second cousins and distant relatives-in- 
law! They all lived under one big roof in the 

The continuation of this interesting story will be found in 
BUMPER THE WHITE RABBIT 
Price 65 Cents Postpaid 

THE JOHN C. WINSTON COMPANY, Publishers 

517 S. Wabash Ave. Winston Building 1 29 Spadina Ave. 

CHICAGO, ILL. PHILADELPHIA, PA. TORONTO, ONT. 


WHITE TAIL THE DEER 

STORY I 

White Tail’s First Lesson 

High among the timberland of the North 
Woods White Tail the Deer was born, and if 
you had stumbled upon his home in the thick- 
ets you would have been surprised by a noise 
like the rushing of the wind, and then by a 
very remarkable silence that could almost be 
felt. The first was made by Mother White 
Tail as she deserted her young and took to 
quick flight 

White Tail, crouching low down in the 
bushes, so still that he scarcely moved a hair, 
would hide his beautiful head in the branches 
and leaves like an obedient child. Left alone 
he knew that his one chance of escape was not 
to move or whimper or cry. 

That was the first lesson White Tail was 
taught by his mother — to keep absolutely 
quiet in the presence of danger. When he 
was so small that he could hardly hold up his 
head, she whispered to him: “Listen, White 
Tail! When I give the signal that the hunters 
are coming, you must flatten yourself down 

The continuation of this interesting story will be found in 
WHITE TAIL THE DEER 

Price 65 Cents Postpaid 

THE JOHN C. WINSTON COMPANY, Publishers 

517 S. Wabash Ave. Winston Building 129 Spadina Ave. 

CHICAGO, ILL. PHILADELPHIA, PA. TORONTO, ONT. 


WHITE TAIL'S ADVENTURES 


STORY I 

White Tail Jumps Stepping Stone Brook 

White Tail grew rapidly in size and 
strength, his long, clean limbs showing taut 
muscles and great springing power; and his 
neck grew thick and short, which is well for a 
buck, who must use it in savage thrusts when 
the head is a battering ram. His horns were 
short and bony, but they protruded in front 
like knobs against which it would be unpleas- 
ant to fall. 

But his antlers were his pride. They spread 
out fan-shape on his head, crowning it with 
a glory that made Mother Deer supremely 
happy. At times it seemed as if the antlers 
were too heavy for the head and neck, but 
White Tail carried them easily, and when he 
shook them in sport or anger any one could 
see they were just fitted to him. 

In time he stood as high as Father Buck, 
and a head taller than Mother Deer. The 
day the tip of his antlers reached an inch above 
Father Buck’s, he felt a little thrill of pride. 

The continuation of this interesting story will be found in 
WHITE TAIL THE DEER’S ADVENTURES 
Price 65 Cents Postpaid 

THE JOHN C. WINSTON COMPANY, Publishers 

ciyS. Wabash Ave. Winston Building 129 Spadina Ave. 

CHICAGO, ILL. PHILADELPHIA, PA. TORONTO, ONT. 


WASHER THE RACCOON 

STORY ONE 
washer's first adventure 

Washer was the youngest of a family of 
three Raccoons, born in the woods close to 
the shores of Beaver Pond, and not half a mile 
from Rocky Falls where the water, as you 
know, turns into silvery spray that sparkles 
in the sun-shine like diamonds and rubies. 
And, indeed, the animals and birds of the 
North Woods much prefer this glittering 
spray and foam that rise in a steady cloud 
from the bottom of the falls to all the jewels 
and gems ever dug out of the earth! For, 
though each drop sparkles but a moment, and 
then vanishes from sight, there are a million 
others to follow it, and when you bathe in 
them they wash and scour away the dirt, and 
make you clean and fresh in body and soul. 

Washer had his first great adventure at 
Rocky Falls, and it is a wonder that he ever 
lived to tell the tale, for the water which 
flows over the falls is almost as cruel and ter- 
rible as it is sparkling and inviting. But 

The continuation of this interesting story will be found in 
WASHER THE RACCOON 

Price 65 Cents Postpaid 

THE JOHN C. WINSTON COMPANY, Publishers 

517S. Wabash Avc. Winston Building 129 Spadina Ave. 

CHICAGO, ILL. PHILADELPHIA, PA. TORONTO, ONT. 





























































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